DailyWorld News - The First International Newspaper From India https://dailyworld.in/ Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:10:08 +0530 en https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-vinicius-scores-winner-as-real-madrid-reaches-last-16-atalanta-eliminate-dortmund-662824.html Madrid Feb 26 Real Madrid advanced to the Champions League last 16 with a 21 home win over Benfica sealing a 31 aggregate victory Vinicius Jr scored the decisive goal in the 80th minute to settle an anxious night at the Santiago Bernabeu where the tie was level on the evening and the hosts struggled for long spellsBenfica missing suspended coach Jose Mourinho began with urgency and drew level on aggregate when Rafa Silva finished from close range after a sharp move down the right Real responded almost immediately as Federico Valverde pulled the ball back for Aurelien Tchouameni who curled in the equalizerThe game remained open Arda Guler had a goal ruled out for offside midway through the first half and the second period was played at a high tempo but with little precision as Madrid mislaid simple passes and the crowd grew restlessReal was without Kylian Mbappe because of a knee injury Benfica also missed forward Gianluca Prestianni who was provisionally suspended following an alleged racist insult aimed at Vinicius in last weeks first legMadrid suffered a scare in the 77th minute when Raul Asencio was carried off after a heavy fall As Benfica pushed forward in search of a goal Valverde released Vinicius down the insideleft channel and the Brazilian angled his finish past goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubin to secure qualificationReal Madrid will face either Manchester City or Sporting CP in the round of 16 Elsewhere Atalanta eliminate Borussia Dortmund with 43 aggregate win Lazar Samardzic sealed Atalantas progress with the last kick of the game on a remarkable evening in Bergamo La Dea wiped out a 20 firstleg deficit before the break Gianluca Scamacca tapping in the fifthminute opener before Davide Zappacostas deflected shot wrongfooted Gregor Kobel late in the halfIt got even better for the hosts when Mario PaÅaliÄ met Marten de Roons cross but Dortmund replied through substitute Karim Adeyemis sublime curler on 75 minutes Extra time loomed until Atalanta won a penalty deep in added time an incident that brought red cards for Ramy Bensebaini Nico Schlotterbeck and Giorgio Scalvini SamardžiÄ made no mistake from the spot IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-vinicius-scores-winner-as-real-madrid-reaches-last-16-atalanta-eliminate-dortmund-662824.html Thu, 26 Feb 2026 10:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/leverkusen-advance-to-champions-league-last-16-after-controlling-olympiacos-662657.html Berlin Feb 25 Leverkusen progressed to the Champions League round of 16 after a goalless draw with Olympiacos comfortably protecting its firstleg cushion at home The German side entered the return match holding a twogoal advantage thanks to Patrik Schicks earlier brace allowing coach Kasper Hjulmand to prioritize control over attacking urgencyLeverkusen dominated the opening minutes and fashioned the first clear chances yet their finishing lacked precision reports XinhuaSchick was twice involved early first sending a header narrowly wide and then failing to lift the ball cleanly over goalkeeper Konstantinos Tzolakis Jonas Hofmann had already tested the Greek keeper from a tight angle but the hosts gradually eased off the tempo as they focused on game managementOlympiacos struggled to inject intensity despite brief spells of pressure Their best opportunity arrived shortly after the restart when Gelson Martins forced Janis Blaswich into a sharp save from a narrow angle Leverkusen responded calmly and nearly struck themselvesA quick exchange between Ernest Poku and Alejandro Grimaldo opened space in the 62nd minute but the Spaniards effort rattled the crossbar instead of sealing the tie From there the contest faded into a lowkey finish with the visitors unable to break through Leverkusens wellorganized back lineSchick almost added a late winner deep in stoppage time but his attempted chip drifted off target The stalemate nevertheless comfortably sent Leverkusen into the last 16 where they will face either Bayern Munich or Arsenal Olympiacos by contrast exited the competitionThe only thing we can take as positive is that we are through We were far too sluggish and didnt play at all the way we wanted so we can be grateful that we are one round further Fortunately the opponent did not punish us said Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/leverkusen-advance-to-champions-league-last-16-after-controlling-olympiacos-662657.html Wed, 25 Feb 2026 09:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/isl-2025-26-odisha-to-host-inter-kashi-in-their-first-match-of-season-662438.html Bhubaneswar Feb 23 Odisha FC will host newlypromoted Inter Kashi FC in their first match of Indian Super League ISL 202526 which will be played at the Kalinga Stadium in Bhubaneswar on Tuesday This will be Odishas first match of the season at home after their opening fixture against Punjab FC on February 16 was postponed Meanwhile Inter Kashi showed immense resilience to secure a 11 draw against AIFF Super Cup champions FC Goa in their league debut last week and will be hoping to build on their fine startSpeaking ahead of their first match of the season Odisha FC head coach TG Purushottaman said âWe are not focused on the results We are concentrating on the performances the results will come automatically We will stick to our strengths and look to exploit their weaknesses We will take the challenges however they comeâSpeaking about the teamâs goals this season Odisha FC captain Carlos Delgado said âThe most important thing is to stay together be compact ambitious and enjoy the training We donât have much time so we must become a strong and united team quickly We will fight and give everything to winâBoth teams have met each other once in the AIFF Super Cup 2024 when Odisha emerged victorious 30 with Lalthathanga Diego MaurÃcio and Puitea scoring the goalsDiscussing Tuesdayâs match Inter Kashi Head Coach Antonio López Habas said âThe fundamental plan for us is to build the team in this category and grow every single day The target is always the next match now it is Odisha We are not the favourites to win the league but we want to be competitive throughout the season My model of play depends on the players I have A coach cannot say âThis is my system and it will never change No You must adapt to the qualities and conditions of your players That is my philosophyâWe have to do things well from the first moment because the league is very short But there is no pressure This is Inter Kashiâs first time in the ISL and if we follow the coachâs ideas and execute our plans properly we will be competitive in every game We must focus only on the things that depend on usâ said Inter Kashi forward Alfred PlanasOdisha FC will aim to ignite their campaign with a strong home performance while Inter Kashi FC will be eager to build on the positive start to their season IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/isl-2025-26-odisha-to-host-inter-kashi-in-their-first-match-of-season-662438.html Tue, 24 Feb 2026 00:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/isl-2025-26-kerala-blasters-resolve-stadium-dispute-on-eve-of-home-match-with-mumbai-city-at-kochi-662190.html Kochi Feb 21 Kerala Blasters FC have acknowledged the States Minister of Industries and Law MLA Ernakulam and President Greater Cochin Development Authority GCDA for facilitating the organisation of their upcoming home match in the Indian Super League ISL 202526 season at the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium in Kochi Kerala Blasters FC will welcome former winner Mumbai City FC for a home match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi on Sunday There were some doubts over hosting the match at the JLN Stadium which is owned by the Greater Cochin Development Authority GCDA The match was facing uncertainty following a dispute between Kerala Blasters and GCDA over the rent for the stadium Earlier in the day the GCDA had stopped the club from hosting its scheduled prematch press conference at the stadium citing unresolved contractual and financial issues The intervention of P Rajeeve Minister for Industries and Law Government of Kerala P V Srinijin Honble MLA and President Ernakulam District Football Association and Chandran Pillai Chairman GCDA helped Kerala Blasters resolve the issues and host the match at the stadiumKerala Blasters FC acknowledges the efforts of Shri P Rajeeve Honble Minister for Industries and Law Government of Kerala Shri p v Srinijin Honble MLA and President Ernakulam District Football Association and Shri Chandran Pillai Chairman GCDA in facilitating a resolution regarding the Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium and the upcoming fixture the club said in a statement on SaturdayWe would like to sincerely thank the fans of Kerala Blasters FC for the unwavering love and support shown to the club over the last few hours Your passion and belief continue to drive us forward every single day the club saidKerala Blasters FC also thanked AIFF officials vendors partners and club staff for continuing to support the clubWe also extend our appreciation to officials of the AIFF our vendors partners and the entire club staff many of whom went above and beyond and some even delayed breaking their fast while continuing to support the club â a gesture that truly meansthe world to usIn the end football is the winner We will take to the field against Mumbai City FC tomorrow for our first home game of the seasonSee you in the stands they said in the statementKerala Blasters FC return to Kochi after an openingweek defeat to Mohun Bagan SG and will be eager to register their first points of the season in front of their home supporters The hosts will look to show greater control and defensive cohesion as they attempt to find rhythm in the final third Mumbai City FC travel to Kochi aiming to build earlyseason momentum under Petr KrÃtký Known for their organised structure and ability to manage possession effectively Mumbai will seek to impose themselves and secure a positive result away from home IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/isl-2025-26-kerala-blasters-resolve-stadium-dispute-on-eve-of-home-match-with-mumbai-city-at-kochi-662190.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 04:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/man-city-beat-newcastle-to-pressure-arsenal-as-leeds-hold-villa-662205.html London Feb 22 Nico OReilly scored two goals as Manchester City closed the gap on Arsenal at the top of the Premier League table to just two points with a 21 victory over Newcastle United at the Etihad Stadium OâReilly bagged two goals in the firsthalf either side of a deflected equaliser from Lewis HallAnd City held firm in a tense secondhalf showing steel and determination to seal a vital three pointsOâReillyâs first goal in the match was the 500th home Premier League goal City have scored since the start of the start of the 201617 season â thatâs 67 more than next best Liverpool who have hit 433 in the same periodThe result extended Citys winning home record against Newcastle in the Premier League to a remarkable 17 gamesAston Villa was frustrated by Leeds United in a 11 draw at Villa Park which saw Anton Stach score an excellent free kick to put the battling visiting side aheadLeeds clung on until the 89th minute when January arrival Tammy Abraham netted a goal for Aston Villa whose slim title chances have probably now goneChelseas efforts to finish in the topfour were frustrated by a late goal as Burnley salvaged a 11 draw at Stamford BridgeJoao Pedro put Chelsea in front after just four minutes after sliding in Pedro Netos low cross but after Wesley Fofana was sent off for seeing the second of his two yellow cards in the 72nd minute Chelsea was guilty of sitting deep and Zian Flemming punished them with an injurytime header from James WardProwses pinpoint cornerJames Milner made history with a record 654th Premier League appearance as Brighton claimed a muchneeded 20 win away to Brentford with first half goals from Diego Gomez and Danny WelbeckWest Ham and Bournemouth took a point each in a 00 draw at the London Stadium which leaves West Ham still in the bottom three IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/man-city-beat-newcastle-to-pressure-arsenal-as-leeds-hold-villa-662205.html Sun, 22 Feb 2026 10:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-changes-likely-as-real-madrid-visit-in-form-osasuna-662061.html Madrid Feb 21 Tabletopper Real Madrid will travel to one of La Ligas most hostile grounds on Saturday to play Osasuna in the El Sadar Stadium in Pamplona Alvaro Arbeloas side travels to the north of Spain as the new La Liga leader after last weekends 41 win at home to Real Sociedad and FC Barcelonas 21 defeat in Girona saw the two teams swap places in the standingsMadrid also took a big step towards the last 16 of the Champions League on Tuesday with their 10 firstleg playoff round win away to Benfica in a game marred by alleged insults towards goalscorer Vinicius Jr reports XinhuaVinicius are almost certain to start in Pamplona although Arbeloa could be tempted to rest Kylian Mbappe for next weeks return leg at home to Benfica while Jude Bellingham is still out with a hamstring injuryBrahim Diaz Gonzalo Garcia and Dani Carvajal all have a chance of starting if Arbeloa decides to rotate his squadOsasuna have improved after a slow start to the season under coach Alessio Lisci and are currently 10th in La Liga after a fivegame unbeaten run Veteran striker Ante Budimir will be a constant threat to Real Madrid and the Croatian has 11 goals in La Liga this seasonWinger Victor Munoz has also been a big success for Osasuna this season after joining last summer from Real Madrid which retains 50 percent of the 22yearolds rightsThe pace of Munoz and the recent arrival of Raul Moro give Osasuna options on the wings and Munoz is likely to try and cause problems behind Trent AlexanderArnold or Carvajal down Real Madrids righthand side IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-changes-likely-as-real-madrid-visit-in-form-osasuna-662061.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 08:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/neymar-to-retire-from-football-by-the-end-of-2026-662078.html New Delhi Feb 21 Following his clear and understandable statements regarding his next journey Neymar has made an announcement about the potential to conclude his successful football career in 2026 The 34yearold who renewed his contract with his boyhood club Santos last month said he is taking things year by year and did not rule out retirement at the end of the calendar year Neymar returned to Santos in January 2025 and played a key role in helping the team stay in Brazilâs top flight He scored five goals in the last five matches of the season which helped the club avoid relegationYet despite rediscovering form at home the forward remains uncertain about what lies aheadâI dont know what will happen from now on I dont know about next yearâ Neymar told Brazilian online channel Caze on Friday âIt may be that when December comes Ill want to retire Im living year to year nowâHis candid remarks come at a crucial juncture âThis year is a very important year not only for Santos but also for the Brazilian national team as its a World Cup year and for me tooâ Neymar said underlining the significance of the months aheadNeymar recently had successful knee surgery as he continues to deal with recurring injuries that have affected the later stages of his career As Brazilâs alltime leading scorer with 79 international goals he has not played for the national team since October 2023 This raises questions about his participation in the upcoming global tournamentBrazil manager Carlo Ancelotti has repeatedly stated over the past year that only fully fit players will be considered for selection for the 2026 World Cup which is set to take place from June 11 to July 19 in Canada Mexico and the United States IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/neymar-to-retire-from-football-by-the-end-of-2026-662078.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 11:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/he-came-back-too-early-its-a-good-lesson-guardiola-on-rodris-return-from-injury-662114.html New Delhi Feb 21 Pep Guardiola admitted that Rodri might have returned from injury sooner than ideal yet believes the midfielder is slowly regaining his form The Spain international sustained a knee ligament injury in September 2024 a year following his Ballon dOr award and returned to play in May Since then Rodri has struggled to regain the level of influence he had at Manchester City Additionally he missed part of this season due to a hamstring injury which further affected his recovery and consistency Guardiola stays hopeful believing Rodri is on track to return to his best formâHe came back too early Our desire to get him back him especially he came back early thats why it was longer Its a good lessonâ Guardiola was quoted as saying by ESPNâHuman beings have a time for recovery There are players who can recover earlier like Bernardo Silva for example or Phil Foden and other ones need more time Still its not his best but every time his mood and his training and his playing is improving Hes a special playerâ he addedThe 29yearold Spaniards contract expires next summer and when asked if he wanted him to stay Guardiola replied âI would love that desperately Rodri is Rodri As much age as he has more wiser more understanding of the game There are players that are defined on the big stages in the difficulties and Rodris one of them like Bernie like Rúben Dias like many of them that I had in the past You cannot achieve what we achieved if you dont have huge personalitiesâRodri is expected to participate in Saturdays Premier League match against Newcastle with City awaiting the Football Associations decision on charges following his comments after the draw with Tottenham earlier this monthThe Newcastle match is scheduled to start at 8 pm 130 am IST on Feb 22 allowing the Magpies extra time to recover after their extensive journey to play Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday Guardiola a consistent critic of the busy fixture schedule faced by clubs hopes this will establish a precedentâBig compliment for the Premier League to put the game to 8 pm and not 3 pm after this trip It was a long one come back late and after one day you have to travel again Now they can travel tomorrow its a big difference At the end the Premier League think about the Premier League team what they need Hopefully the experience can be provided for the future for all the teams in England that play in Europe to have a proper rest to be readyâ he stated Newcastle are currently in 10th place and have not won in their last 12 visits to the Etihad However Guardiola anticipates a tough challenge drawing from the insights gained midweek âI saw the last game against Qarabag in the Champions League and it was exceptional It was 50 at halftime it could have been nine The rhythm and the intensity and the pace they are playing is the Newcastle I remember when they started this project Every team can drop points to everyone It happened to all the teamsâ he mentioned IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/he-came-back-too-early-its-a-good-lesson-guardiola-on-rodris-return-from-injury-662114.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 14:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/rosenior-backs-joao-pedro-to-become-one-of-the-worlds-best-662116.html New Delhi Feb 21 Chelsea head coach Liam Rosenior believes forward Joao Pedro has the potential to become one of the best strikers in world football â provided he sustains his current level of performance The Brazilian has been in electric form since Roseniorâs arrival at Chelsea FC last month scoring six goals and registering four assists in his last eight appearances His recent run has been pivotal to Chelseaâs momentum across competitions with Pedro rediscovering rhythm and confidence at a crucial stage of the seasonAmong the standout moments was his brilliant brace in Naples a performance that secured Chelsea a topeight berth in the UEFA Champions League Domestically he has delivered at key moments as well producing fine finishes against Brentford FC West Ham United FC and Leeds United FC at Stamford Bridge His opener in the 20 win over Brentford in particular underlined his sharp movement and clinical edge in front of goalPedro has primarily operated as a central number nine during this spell leading the line with maturity and composure However the 24yearold has also demonstrated tactical flexibility at times partnering Liam Delap â notably during the second half of the comeback victory over West HamâEvery player works on being the best player they can be regardless of the role theyâre asked to carry outâ Rosenior said ahead of Burnleyâs visit to Stamford Bridge in the Premier LeagueâFor Joao heâs had real rhythm Iâve asked him to do different things and heâs taken it on board and put it into practice Heâs been outstandingâThe Chelsea boss believes the next phase of Pedroâs development will determine just how far he can goâThe quality has never been in doubt The true test for Joao now â which is the exciting thing â is if he can maintain this level of intensity and this level of quality he can be one of the best strikers in world footballâI truly believe that Itâs a possibility at the moment if he maintains this levelâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/rosenior-backs-joao-pedro-to-become-one-of-the-worlds-best-662116.html Sat, 21 Feb 2026 14:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/dortmund-secure-brazilian-teenager-prates-on-long-term-deal-661942.html Berlin Feb 20 Borussia Dortmund have completed the signing of Brazilian leftback Kaua Prates from Brazilian topflight side Cruzeiro with the 17yearold set to join the Bundesliga club ahead of the 202627 season Dortmund confirmed that Prates has signed a longterm contract running until 2031 after successfully undergoing a medical this week The defender will remain under contract with Cruzeiro until the summer of 2026 before linking up with his new club in Germany reports XinhuaPrates who stands 184 meters tall moved to Cruzeiros youth academy in 2019 and made his professional debut in May 2025 at the age of 16 He has since featured in 17 matches for Cruzeiros first teamOn the international stage the junior international helped Brazils U17 side lift the South American U17 Championship last yearWith Kaua we have been able to secure an extremely exciting player for us He is still very young and is among the most talented players in South America We are convinced that with his abilities his ambition and his development potential he fits Borussia Dortmund very well said sporting managing director Lars RickenSporting director Sebastian Kehl also expressed his satisfaction at completing the deal We are delighted to have signed Kaua He is a highly talented player with a very versatile profile and is capable of playing in several defensive positions within various systems His tackling ability robustness and mentality will undoubtedly enrich our team next season Kehl saidPrates said he was eager to begin the next chapter of his career in Germany I am very proud to be able to play for this great club from the summer I am incredibly excited and I will give everything from day one in black and yellow to be successful with BVB he saidPrates is set to become Dortmunds 16th Brazilian player Only Germany has provided more players and combined appearances for the club The Brazilian connection began with Julio Cesar in 1994 while Dede holds the record for most appearances by a nonGerman with 398Borussia Dortmund remains in the Bundesliga title race sitting second and six points behind leader Bayern Munich while also keeping its Champions League hopes alive after a 20 firstleg win over Atalanta in the roundof16 tie IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/dortmund-secure-brazilian-teenager-prates-on-long-term-deal-661942.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/brazil-egypt-to-play-world-cup-fifa-wc-warmup-friendly-in-june-661945.html Rio de Janeiro Feb 20 Brazil to play Egypt in a friendly a week before FIFA World Cup 2026 begins in June as both teams finalise their preparations for the mega event the Brazilian Football Confederation CBF said The match will be played at Huntington Bank Field in Cleveland on June 6 five days before the start of footballs showpiece tournament in the United States Mexico and CanadaBrazil will play its last home preWorld Cup warmup a week earlier with a friendly against Panama at the Maracana Stadium on May 31Fivetime world champion Brazil will begin its Group C campaign against Morocco on June 13 before facing Haiti on June 19 and Scotland on June 24To conclude the preparation phase the Brazilian national team will face the oldest African team and one of the most successful on the continentThe most successful team in FIFA World Cup history with five titles 1958 1962 1970 1994 and 2002 Brazil is the only national team to have participated in every edition of the tournament and seeks to extend its dominance by winning its sixth titleEgypt is the most successful team in the Africa Cup of Nations with seven titles and has participated in three FIFA World Cups being the first African and Middle Eastern team to play in the tournament in 1934 in ItalyEgypt will start the FIFA World Cup campaign against Belgium on June 15 and will also face New Zealand on June 21 and Iran on June 26 in Group GThe North African team will look to to reaffirm its status as one of the greatest powers on the African continent and in the Arab world with millions of fans dreaming of a historic campaignThey rely on the talent and leadership of star player Mohamed Salah as well as a squad that combines experience and youth with names like Omar Marmoush Mahmoud TrÃzÃguet and Mostafa MohamedThere have been six matches since 1960 between Brazil and Egypt with Brazil winning all six Themost important was on June 15 2009 during that years Confederations Cup in Bloemfontein South Africa The Brazilians won 43 with goals from Kakà 2 LuÃs Fabiano and Juan The other matches were friendlies the last one in 2011 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/brazil-egypt-to-play-world-cup-fifa-wc-warmup-friendly-in-june-661945.html Fri, 20 Feb 2026 11:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/dortmund-tighten-pressure-in-title-race-with-win-over-bayern-661617.html Berlin Feb 14 Borussia Dortmund strengthened its pursuit of leader Bayern Munich with a comprehensive 40 home victory over Mainz extending its unbeaten Bundesliga run and maintaining a threepoint gap at the summit The result stretched Dortmunds sequence without defeat to 15 league matches and halted Mainzs recent surge as the visitors winning streak came to an end in the opening fixture of the 22nd matchdayNiko Kovacs side asserted control early dominating possession and forcing Mainz deep Its first clear opportunity brought the breakthrough after 10 minutes From the right edge of the area Julian Ryerson delivered a precise cross and Serhou Guirassy rose above Dominik Kohr to head in from close rangeFive minutes later the pattern repeated Ryerson again found space to cross this time picking out Maximilian Beier at the far post His header from a tight angle struck Daniel Batz and crossed the line for 20Mainz briefly threatened a response when Silas ran clear following a defensive lapse but he steered his effort wide The miss proved costly Shortly before the interval Ryersons corner caused further problems and Guirassy powered home another header to make it 30 effectively deciding the contest before the breakAfter halftime Dortmund remained the more dangerous side Batz denied Julian Brandt and Guirassy in quick succession yet Mainz struggled to generate sustained pressure despite occasional approachesThe fourth goal arrived in the 84th minute Another Ryerson corner deflected off Dominik Kohr and rolled into his own net completing a night in which the Norwegian assisted all four goals Gregor Kobel preserved the clean sheet with a late save ensuring Mainz finished emptyhandedDortmund remain second and trim the gap to FC Bayern to three points increasing the pressure on the leaders before their next fixture while 14thplaced Mainz continue to hover above danger sitting just two points clear of the relegation playoff positionWe are happy and we are pleased with the win In the first half we were very efficient and directed the game the way we wanted After the break we controlled it A 40 is very good and above all keeping a clean sheet is important for us We are not looking at Bayern now We are looking behind us because our clear objective is to qualify for the Champions League Dortmund coach Niko Kovac said IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/dortmund-tighten-pressure-in-title-race-with-win-over-bayern-661617.html Sat, 14 Feb 2026 16:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/united-rescue-point-at-west-ham-chelsea-held-at-home-by-leeds-661428.html London Feb 11 Tomas Souceks 50th goal for West Ham was not enough to secure a vital home win as a 96thminute strike from Benjamin Sesko earned Manchester United a 11 draw West Ham limited Uniteds attacking threat for much of the match and was seconds from a victory that would have pulled the London club level with Nottingham Forest But Bryan Mbeumo whipped a late ball into the area and Sesko squeezed his effort through a narrow gap and into the net The draw ended Uniteds fourgame winning run reports XinhuaChelsea was held to a 22 draw at home by Leeds United despite racing into a twogoal lead Joao Pedro opened the scoring and Cole Palmer doubled the advantage from the penalty spot after a handball in the Leeds areaLeeds fought back when Lukas Nmecha converted a penalty following a foul on Jayden Bogle Noah Okafor then tapped in the equalizer during a chaotic move that saw Chelsea appeal unsuccessfully for handball against Bogle as he chased a through ball Chelsea pushed for a late winner but Palmer missed a clear chance firing over from close rangeJacob Ramseys 68thminute strike gave Newcastle United a 21 win away to Tottenham Malick Thiaw had put Newcastle ahead in firsthalf stoppage time before Tottenham responded after the break with Archie Gray scoring from close range following a corner Ramseys goal proved decisive and leaves Tottenham mired in the relegation battleThe win lift Newcastle into the top half and within three points of Liverpool in sixth while Spurs drop one place to 16th with Leeds United overtaking themBournemouth came from behind to beat Everton 21 away Everton led through Iliman Ndiayes penalty after a foul on Jarrad Branthwaite but headers from Rayan and Amine Adli in the 61st and 64th minutes turned the match Evertons task became harder when Jake OBrien was sent off five minutes later for denying a clear scoring chanceOn Wednesday Manchester City hosts Fulham Aston Villa welcomes Brighton and Liverpool travels to Sunderland IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/united-rescue-point-at-west-ham-chelsea-held-at-home-by-leeds-661428.html Wed, 11 Feb 2026 11:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-man-city-secure-dramatic-late-win-over-liverpool-661235.html London Feb 9 Manchester City rallied late to beat Liverpool 21 at Anfield keeping its Premier League title hopes alive with a dramatic comeback City kicked off nine points behind leader Arsenal which had beaten Sunderland 30 on Saturday and the gap appeared set to widen when Dominik Szoboszlai curled in a stunning free kick in the 75th minute to give Liverpool the leadBernardo Silva equalized in the 84th minute finishing after Erling Haaland headed the ball into his path before Haaland completed the turnaround from the penalty spot The spot kick was awarded after Matheus Nunes was brought down by goalkeeper Alisson Xinhua rperotsThe match ended in chaotic fashion when Szoboszlai hauled down Haaland as the striker broke clear on goal Haaland reacted and the ball ended up in the net but following a VAR review the referee ruled out the goal awarded City a free kick and sent off SzoboszlaiIt was a brilliant advert for the Premier League First half was really good and we lost a bit of momentum in the second half Anfield can feel like that After that we played more direct and after that we lost the ball and we were so passive What a strike from Szoboszlai and after that led by our captain Bernardo we come back The spirit has been there and in general the first half was really good and second half a bit of fatigue said GuardiolaElsewhere Ismaila Sarr scored the only goal as Crystal Palace ended a 13game winless run with a 10 victory away to Brighton moving nine points clear of the relegation zoneSarr struck in the 61st minute after Brighton failed to clear effectively running onto a through ball and slotting homeJames Milner was an unused substitute for Brighton leaving him one appearance short of equaling Gareth Barrys Premier League record of 653 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-man-city-secure-dramatic-late-win-over-liverpool-661235.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrid-win-in-valencia-betis-take-copa-revenge-in-la-liga-661239.html Madrid Feb 9 Secondhalf goals from left back Alvaro Carreras and Kylian Mbappe gave Real Madrid a 20 win away to Valencia on Sunday night keeping the defending champion one point behind FC Barcelona in the La Liga title race Carreras opened the scoring in the 65th minute with an individual effort riding a pair of weak challenges before finishing Mbappe sealed the victory in injury time as Madrid largely subdued before the break steadily forced Valencia deeper in the second halfWhile Madrid stayed on Barcelonas heels Valencia slipped closer to the relegation zone in a difficult week that also saw the club eliminated from the Copa del ReyAntony scored in the 29th minute as Real Betis avenged its recent Copa del Rey quarterfinal loss to Atletico Madrid with a 10 league win at the Metropolitano StadiumBetis beaten 50 at home by Atletico just three days earlier tightened defensively and was fortunate when a potential secondhalf equalizer for the hosts was ruled out for offsideGorka Guruzeta scored twice in the first half as Athletic Club returned to winning ways with a 42 home victory over Levante in a match that descended into chaos late onGuruzeta headed home in the 29th minute and added a low finish five minutes later after Levante was reduced to 10 men when Alan Matturro was sent off for hauling down Inaki WilliamsAthletic missed chances to extend its lead and Unai Elgezabals overhead kick pulled a goal back for Levante in the 81st minute Nico Serrano restored a twogoal cushion five minutes later but Jon Ander Olasagasti struck in the 94th minute to make it 32 before Robert Navarro sealed the win in the ninth minute of added timeSevilla salvaged a 11 draw at home to Girona thanks to a late goal from Kike Salas and a stoppagetime penalty save by Odysseas Vlachodimos who denied Cristhian Stuani with the final kick of the matchGirona had taken the lead in the second minute through Thomas Lemar and was left frustrated after failing to secure all three points against a Sevilla side that struggled to create chancesGetafe ended a ninematch winless run with a 20 victory away to AlavesAlaves edged the first half but failed to respond after Luis Vazquez gave Getafe the lead in the 53rd minute with Mauro Arambarri adding a penalty in the 72nd IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrid-win-in-valencia-betis-take-copa-revenge-in-la-liga-661239.html Mon, 09 Feb 2026 16:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/atletico-madrid-thrash-betis-to-reach-copa-del-rey-semifinal-661076.html Madrid Feb 6 Atletico Madrid delivered a convincing performance to claim the semifinal spot in Spains Copa del Rey with a 50 rout of Real Betis Betis threatened early through Ez Abde but Atletico quickly seized control and dominated the first half David Hancko opened the scoring with a nearpost header from a Koke corner and the visitors never looked backNew signing Ademola Lookman was heavily involved from the outset missing one chance when sent through on goal and firing over after Hanckos knockdown as Atletico denied Betis possession and territory reports XinhuaGiuliano Simeone doubled the lead in the 30th minute after being set up by Matteo Ruggeri and Lookman made it 30 before halftime cutting inside two defenders from the left and beating goalkeeper Adrian with a composed finishAtletico suffered an early setback after the break when Pablo Barrios was forced off with a hamstring injury and replaced by Jose Gimenez a concern ahead of the clubs Champions League playoff against Club Brugge later this monthThe injury did little to halt Atleticos momentum Antoine Griezmann made it 40 in the 62nd minute finishing a counterattack started by Lookman before Thiago Almada completed the scoring late on by converting a rebound after Adrian had saved Griezmanns initial effortThe teams meet again on Sunday at Atleticos Metropolitano Stadium in La LigaPreviously Barcelona reached the semifinals on Tuesday with a 21 win at Albacete while Athletic Club beat Valencia 21 and Real Sociedad won 32 at Alaves on WednesdayThe draw for the twolegged semifinals will be held Friday with the first legs next week and the return matches in the first week of March The final is scheduled for April 18 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/atletico-madrid-thrash-betis-to-reach-copa-del-rey-semifinal-661076.html Fri, 06 Feb 2026 14:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/saff-u-19-womens-championship-india-beat-bhutan-8-0-to-set-up-final-clash-with-bangladesh-660858.html Pokhara Feb 4 The Indian U17 womenâs team produced a dominant allround display to defeat Bhutan 80 in their final roundrobin match of the SAFF U19 Womenâs Championship 2026 at the Pokhara Rangasala Stadium on Wednesday securing a place in the tournament final Pearl Fernandes starred with a firsthalf hattrick while Pritika Barman scored twice as the Young Tigresses overwhelmed their opponents with relentless attacking football Alisha Lyngdoh Abhista Basnett and Divyani Linda also found the net in a onesided contestIndia wasted little time asserting control opening the scoring in the sixth minute when Alisha Lyngdoh struck a crisp effort from outside the penalty area The advantage was doubled soon after as Abhista Basnett finished from close range following a cutback from Pritika BarmanPearl Fernandes then took centre stage latching onto a welltimed through ball to make it 30 before Divyani Linda added the fourth with a composed finish at the near post Pritika extended the lead further in the 25th minute converting from the right side of the boxThe pressure continued as Pearl scored twice more before the break completing her hattrick and helping India race into a commanding 70 lead at halftimeIndia made multiple changes after the interval but the tempo remained high The Young Tigresses created several chances striking the woodwork on two occasions before Pritika Barman added her second goal in the final minute rounding off a comprehensive victory She was later named Player of the MatchIndia goalkeeper Munni had a largely quiet outing with the defence keeping Bhutan at bay for most of the match despite one brief moment of danger in the first halfWith this result India finished second in the standings with six points from three matches three behind tabletoppers Bangladesh Earlier in the day Bangladesh defeated hosts Nepal 40 confirming Indiaâs spot in the final Nepal finished third with three points while Bhutan ended the campaign without a pointIndia will now face Bangladesh in the final on February 7 The Indian U17 side is competing in the U19 tournament as part of its preparations for the AFC U17 Womenâs Asian Cup China 2026 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/saff-u-19-womens-championship-india-beat-bhutan-8-0-to-set-up-final-clash-with-bangladesh-660858.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 02:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/blue-tigresses-defeat-zvezda-2005-perm-notch-third-friendly-win-in-turkiye-660899.html New Delhi Feb 4  The Indian senior womenâs national team beat Russian side Zvezda2005 Perm 20 in a friendly match at the SampB Sport Football Complex Serik Antalya Turkiye on Wednesday Anju Tamang scored the early goal in the ninth minute before Lynda Kom Serto netted late on in the 89th to secure the win for the Blue Tigresses who played their fifth friendly in Antalya as part of their preparations for the AFC Womenâs Asian Cup Australia 2026Earlier they registered a 10 victory over German side Hertha BSC Frauen and played out a 00 draw against WFC Spartak Moscow inthe first match of four games friendlies Grace Dangmei scored the decisive goal in the 37th minute to secure the win for the Blue Tigresses as they continued their preparatory campaign in Turkiye ahead of the AFC Womenâs Asian Cup Australia 2026India will play their last game in Turkiye against FK CsÃkszereda Miercurea Ciuc of Romania on February 7 before departing for Australia on February 10 The Blue Tigresses are in Antalya as part of their buildup to the continental tournament and will continue training in Türkiye till the first week of February before shifting base to Perth Australia The Blue Tigresses will kickstart their Asian Cup Group C campaign against Vietnam on March 4 at the Perth Rectangular Stadium followed by matches against Japan on March 7 in Perth and Chinese Taipei on March 10 in Sydney IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/blue-tigresses-defeat-zvezda-2005-perm-notch-third-friendly-win-in-turkiye-660899.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 03:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/athletic-bilbao-real-sociedad-into-copa-semis-after-away-wins-660919.html Valencia Feb 5 Inaki Williams scored a 96thminute winner to see Athletic Bilbao beat Valencia 21 to reach the semifinal of the Copa del Rey The forward came on as a substitute to volley home a cross from his brother Nico when it looked as if the game was heading for extra time Xinhua reportsAthletic coach Ernesto Valverde made 10 changes to the side that drew 11 at home to Real Sociedad on Sunday but his side took the lead in the 27th minute when Umar Sadiq flicked Robert Navarros free kick into his own netThe Valencia fans were starting to lose patience when a terrible mistake from Athletic goalkeeper Alex Padilla gifted an equaliserPadilla dropped a simple ball at the feet of Sadiq who bundled it into the net before apologising for his error at the other endAthletic controlled the game in the second half but after Mikel Jaureguizar saw a penalty well saved by Stole Dimitrievski the match looked set for extra time until the Williams brothers combinedThis team always has spirit and that is something we must never lose Reaching the semifinals something Athletic have done a lot lately is a success for us and we hope it will also be a cause for celebration for our fans gaffer Ernesto ValverdeIn the days other quarterfinal Abde Rebbach put Alaves ahead in the eighth minute at home to Real Sociedad who quickly drew level thanks to Mikel OyarzabalToni Martinez restored Alaves lead from the penalty spot after a bad foul from Benat Turrientes after 29 minutesTurrientes made amends when he set up Goncalo Guedes to level in the 76th minute and substitute Orri Oskarsson hit the winner with seven minutes to playOn Tuesday night FC Barcelona won 21 away to secondtier Albacete while Real Betis hosts Atletico Madrid on Thursday ahead of Fridays semifinal draw IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/athletic-bilbao-real-sociedad-into-copa-semis-after-away-wins-660919.html Thu, 05 Feb 2026 12:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/leverkusen-beat-st-pauli-in-german-cup-quarterfinal-660776.html Berlin Feb 4 Bayer Leverkusen booked a place in the German Cup semifinals with a 30 home win over St Pauli on Tuesday St Pauli started sharply and almost took the lead from their first corner with Martijn Kaars unable to convert in a crowded sixyard areaLeverkusen were sloppy in possession early on and a mistake by goalkeeper Ben Voll later presented Patrik Schick with a clear chance but Karol Mets cleared the effort off the lineThe visitors continued to press Joel Chima Fujita dragged a shot wide from a promising position and was booked for a foul on Exequiel PalaciosLeverkusen controlled possession but lacked tempo and penetration until they went ahead just past the halfhour markSchick was unable to force an opening at the edge of the area yet Martin Terrier reacted quickest in the scramble and drove the ball into the left corner Xinhua reportsSt Pauli had a major opportunity to equalize before the interval After a move down the right Arkadiusz Pyrka pulled the ball back into the area but Kaars missed the target from close rangeAfter the break errors disrupted the flow of the match and St Paulis attacking play became increasingly fragmented as Leverkusen managed the tempoThe hosts doubled their lead in the 63rd minute when Aleix Garcia delivered from the right and Schick finished with his left foot into the right cornerDanel Sinani later registered St Paulis sole attacking effort of the second half Leverkusen remained in control and Jonas Hofmann struck the post with a longrange attemptHofmann eventually added the third goal in stoppage time finishing after a diagonal pass from Alex Grimaldo The victory sends Leverkusen into the last four ahead of the semifinal draw on February 22The semifinals are scheduled for April 21 and 22 with the final to be played in Berlin on 23 MaySt Pauli didnt have the quality to really threaten us even though we didnt play a good game ourselves said Bayer Leverkusen captain Robert Andrich There are a lot of things we need to improve but in the cup its about getting through and thats what we did IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/leverkusen-beat-st-pauli-in-german-cup-quarterfinal-660776.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-reach-carabao-cup-final-after-last-gasp-havertz-goal-660779.html London Feb 4 Kai Havertz netted a dramatic late winner as Arsenal reached the Carabao Cup final with a 42 aggregate victory over Chelsea Goals from Viktor Gyokeres Ben White and Martin Zubimendi gave the gunners a onegoal lead going into the second leg clash which saw precious few chances at Emirates StadiumBut as the visitors looked for a late goal gunners broke away and it was former Chelsea man Havertz who rounded Robert Sanchez to give us a 10 win and send Arsenal to Wembley for their first Carabao Cup final in eight yearsCarrying a 32 advantage from the first leg the Gunners began confidently at the Emirates Stadium dictating early tempo and territoryBut with Chelsea setting up in a compact back five clear openings were limited during a cagey first hourBlues boss Liam Rosenior looked to inject a spark by introducing Estevao and Cole Palmer yet Arsenalâs defensive organisation stood firm as they absorbed the visitorsâ growing pressureAnd in the dying moments the decisive moment arrivedSubstitute Havertz â only recently back from injury â latched onto a late break rounded Robert Sanchez with composure and fired home sending the Emirates into raptures and sealing Arsenalâs return to WembleyThe Gunners will now meet either Manchester City or Newcastle United who contest the second leg of their semifinal on Wednesday eveningHaving last appeared in the Carabao Cup Final eight years ago Arsenal will hope this victory marks the beginning of another memorable cup run as they continue to compete on multiple fronts this seasonFollowing the Carabao Cup semifinal success Arsenal will be back in Premier League action in N5 taking on Sunderland onThen on February 12 they head to west London to take on Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-reach-carabao-cup-final-after-last-gasp-havertz-goal-660779.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/fc-barcelona-ease-past-albacete-to-reach-copa-del-rey-sf-660783.html Madrid Feb 4 Reigning Copa del Rey holder FC Barcelona became the first team to reach the semifinals with a 21 win away to second division side Albacete It is the 16th time in the last 20 years that Barca have reached this stage of the competition and it is now the 62nd time in total a reflection of the consistency of the club in the knockout competition Of the 43 Copa del Rey finals they have played in the blaugranes have won 32 making them the most successful club in the history of the tournamentLamine Yamal put Barcelona ahead in the 39th minute curling a leftfooted shot into the far corner after Marcus Rashford won possession in midfieldWith several changes to its starting lineup Barcelona had struggled to break down a disciplined Albacete defense before the breakthrough Rashford sent a low ball across the face of goal in the third minute and wasted a clear chance five minutes later after being slipped through by Dani Olmo reports XinhuaAlbacete also threatened in the first half Agus Medina shot straight at goalkeeper Joan Garcia while Antonio Puertas twice tested Garcia after turnovers in the Barcelona halfRonald Araujo doubled Barcelonas lead in the 58th minute with a header from a corner Robert Lewandowski should have made it 30 soon after but fired tamely at Raul Lizoain when well placedLizoain later denied Ferran Torres who replaced Lewandowski as the game opened up while Albacete missed opportunities of its own Jefte Betancor headed over when unmarked and then had a goal ruled out for offside in the 84th minuteAlbacete pulled one back in the 87th minute through Javi Morenos diving header to set up a tense finish Torres had a goal disallowed for offside at the other end and Barcelona defender Gerard Martin cleared Fran Gamezs chipped effort off the line to preserve the winTwo more quarterfinals are scheduled for Wednesday with Alaves hosting Real Sociedad and Valencia at home to Athletic Club Real Betis hosts Atletico Madrid on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/fc-barcelona-ease-past-albacete-to-reach-copa-del-rey-sf-660783.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 11:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/jamaal-lascelles-leaves-newcastle-after-11-years-joins-leicester-city-660726.html Leicester Feb 3 The 32yearold centre back Jamaal Lascelles has put an end to his 11year journey at Newcastle United as he joined Leicester City on Tuesday The defender has signed a deal until the end of the 202526 season to stay at Leicester Jamaal arrives in Leicester with a wealth of topflight experience having spent a decade in the Premier League and captaining Newcastle United across multiple seasonsJamaal initially joined Newcastle from Nottingham Forest in the summer of 2014 alongside goalkeeper Karl Darlow but returned to the City Ground on loan for the 201415 season He made his mark after returning to Tyneside gradually forcing his way into the firstteam picture during the latter half of the 201516 campaignWith his spectacular performance Jamaal earned the Newcastle captains armband under then manager Rafa BenÃtez in the latter half of the 2015 season He went on to lead the club to the 201617 Championship title guiding United back to the top flight and establishing himself as a regular presence in the Premier League in the seasons that followedThe defender also played a key role in Newcastleâs recent resurgence most notably captaining the side in their historic 41 Champions League victory over Paris SaintGermain in October 2023 Although injury sidelined him for much of last season Jamaal continued to be an influential figure within the squadâs leadership groupNewcastle posted an emotional tribute to their former captain Everybody at Newcastle United wishes Jamaal the very best of luck for the future and thanks him for his outstanding contribution to the club He will always be welcome at St James Park said the club in a statementJamaal felt excited about joining Leicester for the rest of the season âIâm buzzing to get through the door Itâs a great setup here with huge support and the facilities are fantastic I just canât wait to help out as much as I can try to push us up the league and meet the boys tomorrowâ he said in a video released by the club IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/jamaal-lascelles-leaves-newcastle-after-11-years-joins-leicester-city-660726.html Wed, 04 Feb 2026 01:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/im-here-to-bring-energy-and-goals-says-larsen-on-on-palace-move-660640.html London Feb 3 Crystal Palace have announce the signing of Jorgen Strand Larsen from Wolverhampton Wanderers in a clubrecord deal worth 48 million pounds The 25yearold Norway international has signed a fourandahalf year contract He will wear the No 22 shirt for the Eagles and becomes their third arrival of the January transfer windowIm really excited to come to Crystal Palace Its been something Ive wanted to do for a long time now Im here to bring energy and goals and to try to do my best for the club Larsen saidâI feel like its what I need and hopefully what the club needs as well Im here to bring energy goals and to try and do the best for the club Thereâs obviously many things to look into when you are changing clubs But Iâm looking at what the club wants from me â and what the club is looking to do in the futureâIâm coming in to hopefully help win some games and bring the team back to where it was at the start of the season because obviously that was amazing It just shows Palace can definitely be there in the top half and should be there Hopefully thatâs what I can do he addedLarsen has spent the last yearandahalf with Wolves following two seasons at Celta Vigo Adapting to English football with ease he scored 14 Premier League goals in 35 appearances during his first season at Molineux in 202425Chairman Steve Parish said Weâre delighted that Jorgen has chosen to continue his impressive journey with us and look forward to seeing him in action at Selhurst Park Iâm sure he will prove himself a valuable asset for years to comeâHe made his senior debut for Norway in November 2020 and has since become a regular at international level winning 24 caps and scoring four goals IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/im-here-to-bring-energy-and-goals-says-larsen-on-on-palace-move-660640.html Tue, 03 Feb 2026 14:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-2025-26-barcelona-win-in-elche-as-atletico-drop-more-points-away-from-home-660455.html Madrid Feb 1 FC Barcelona ensured they will retain their lead at the top of La Liga after a 31 win away to Elche as they maintained their advantage in the Spanish top division football over archrivals Real Madrid Lamine Yamal put Barcelona ahead early and his side then went on to hit the woodwork three times before the break before Alvaro Rodriguez took his chance to level the score for ElcheFerran Torres who had twice hit the woodwork put Barcelona back in front and although Raphinha was forced out with a groin problem his substitute Marcus Rashford netted Barcelonas third with a rightfoot shot in the 71st minuteSecondplaced Real Madrid play Rayo Vallecano on Sunday at lunchtime Madrid are four points adrift of Barcelona who now have 55 pointsAtletico Madrid dropped two points in a 00 draw away to Levante in a game in which Atletico striker Alexander Sorloth had to be taken to the hospital after a clash of heads Gerard Moreno scored a penalty and a header from a corner as Villarreal had a 22 draw away to Osasuna who drew level thanks to the impressive Victor MunozIlyas Chairas 73rdminute tapin saw Oviedo win 10 at home to Girona for their third victory of the season which ended a winless run of 14 matches Veteran midfielder Santi Cazorla started the move with Thiago Fernandez setting up Chaira to score against his former clubAlaves won 21 away to Espanyol on Friday night to climb into midtable and extend Espanyols run of poor form The club announced on Saturday that they had signed Finnish defender Ville Koski from Croatian side NK Istra for the remainder of the seasonBarcelona lead the table with 55 points from 22 matches while Real Madrid are second with 51 points from 21 matches Atletico Madrid are third with 43 points from 22 matchess and Villarreal are on 42 points from 21 matches Espanyol who have 34 points from 21 matches are fifth in the standings IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-2025-26-barcelona-win-in-elche-as-atletico-drop-more-points-away-from-home-660455.html Sun, 01 Feb 2026 10:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/max-downman-signs-pre-contract-agreement-with-arsenal-660289.html London Jan 30 16yearold football star Max Downman will continue his stay at the Emirates Stadium as he has signed a precontract agreement with Arsenal on Friday Downman will sign his first professional contract with the club when he turns 17 on New Years Eve this year Dowman made his debut for Arsenalâs U18 team at just 13 years of age and became the youngest player to register a goal in the UEFA Youth League when hitting the net in that competition aged 14âThis means everything to my family We all support Arsenal and I really feel like I belong here Iâd like to thank all my coaches teammates and most importantly my family and friends who have got me to where I am today Max said on signing the precontract as quoted by Arsenals official pageâIâve been at the club my whole life so this really means a lot Thereâs such a clear pathway here for players who have come through our academy like Bukayo Myles and Ethan who all really inspire me Itâs amazing to have role models so close who have experienced the same thing that I have Iâm now so excited to continue to work hard with my developmentâ he addedArsenals coach Michael Arteta also congratulated the young footballer on the precontract agreementItâs a proud moment to see him sign that deal in front of his family and his loved ones Big credit to everybody thatâs been involved in that journey with him to bring him all the way to the first team and especially the manner in which theyâve done it Now we have an amazing talent that day by day I think we need to shape because thereâs so much there he said in a press conference ahead of the Premier League clash against Leeds UnitedDespite his young age Dowman has already made five appearances for Arsenalâs first team and even provided an assist in a match against Leeds Dowman also featured in a Champions League fixture against Slavia Prague playing 18 minutes on the pitch IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/max-downman-signs-pre-contract-agreement-with-arsenal-660289.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 00:41:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/fulham-sign-norway-winger-oscar-bobb-from-man-city-660311.html London Jan 30 Fulham have completed the signing of Norway winger Oscar Bobb from Manchester City for a reported fee of Â27 million with the 22yearold committing to a fiveandahalfyear contract at Craven Cottage Bobb will wear the number 14 shirt at Fulham and becomes one of Marco Silvaâs key attacking additions as the west London club continues its push for European qualificationâIt feels great to be here I had a great day meeting everyone and Iâm very excitedâ Bobb said after completing the move as quoted by the Fulham official websiteThe winger revealed he sought advice from Fulham midfielder and Norway teammate Sander Berge before agreeing to the transferâI spoke to Sander my good friend and I spoke to the manager and he explained what the systemâs like how the lads are and how the club is He seemed lovely so it was an easy decisionâ Bobb addedBobb departs from Man City after making 61 senior appearances for the team scoring 13 goals and providing 27 assists across all competitions However his opportunities diminished following the January arrival of Antoine Semenyo from Bournemouth which saw Bobb slip down the attacking pecking orderThe Norwegian featured 15 times for City this season but failed to find the net with his last appearance coming on December 17 against Brentford in the Carabao Cup where he was forced off injured inside the opening 20 minutesBobb had also attracted interest from Bundesliga side Borussia Dortmund but Fulham moved swiftly to secure his signature He reunites with Berge at Craven Cottage after featuring six times for Norway this year and playing a role in their qualification for this summerâs World CupFulham arrive at the signing in strong form having lost just one of their last seven Premier League matches under Silva They currently sit seventh in the table following a 21 victory over Brighton on Saturday with Bobb expected to bolster their attacking options during the second half of the campaign IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/fulham-sign-norway-winger-oscar-bobb-from-man-city-660311.html Sat, 31 Jan 2026 01:07:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/chennaiyin-fc-sign-spanish-forward-inigo-martin-ahead-of-the-new-season-660216.html Chennai Jan 30 Chennaiyin FC have completed the signing of Spanish attacker Inigo Martin with the 26yearold set to embark on his first stint in Indian football The Bilbaoborn forward adds further firepower to the Marina Machansâ attacking unit ahead of the upcoming seasonMartin arrives in Chennai following spells across Spain Andorra and Georgia bringing with him valuable experience from different footballing environments A centre forward by trade Martin is comfortable operating anywhere across the frontline offering tactical flexibility and movement in the final thirdHe joined compatriot Alberto Noguera Moroccan defensive midfielder Mohammed Ali Bemammer and Indian winger Imran Khan as the clubâs newest arrivalsSpeaking upon his arrival Martin said âIâm very happy and excited to join Chennaiyin FC Itâs a big opportunity for me and a new challenge in my career I am really proud to be part of this family and I canât wait to get started I have a very good feeling about the Head Coach and the teamI believe he can help me improve as a player Iâm ready to learn work hard and adapt quickly Playing in India is a new experience for me and Iâm approaching it with a lot of respect and motivation I want to make the fans happyâHailing from Bilbao Martin began his footballing journey with local side Arenas where he progressed through the ranks before gaining experience in Spainâs lower divisions Seeking new challenges he went on to build a solid professional career abroad making his mark in Andorran and Georgian footballThe Spaniard enjoyed a productive spell with FC Santa Coloma in Andorra He later featured in Georgia with FC Samtredia and FC Telavi further developing his game across varied tactical systems and competitive landscapesAddressing the newest addition to the team head coach Clifford Miranda said IÃigo is just the profile of player we were looking for in the position He will bring a lot of dynamism to our final third in the way we want to go forward His movements off the ball will bring us solutions in tight spaces He comes with experience of playing in tougher leagues which will be valuableMartinâs signing adds another dimension to Chennaiyin FCâs forward options with his work rate positional awareness and adaptability expected to complement the squadâs attacking structureMartin will link up with his new teammates in the coming days and begin training under the Chennaiyin FC coaching staff as the Marina Machans continue their preparations for the season ahead IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/chennaiyin-fc-sign-spanish-forward-inigo-martin-ahead-of-the-new-season-660216.html Fri, 30 Jan 2026 11:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-madrid-drop-to-play-offs-five-english-clubs-move-into-round-of-16-660043.html New Delhi Jan 29 Real Madrid were defeated in Lisbon by Benfica to finish ninth and will have to face a playoff to reach the last 16 of the Champions League against Benfica or BodoGlimt Goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubins sensational 98thminute header earned Benfica a place in the knockout phase playoffsThe Eagles looked set to miss out despite recovering from 10 down to open up a 31 lead thanks to two goals from Andreas Schjelderup either side of Vangelis Pavlidis penaltyKylian Mbappes second of the game â his 13th league phase goal setting a new record â pushed them out of the top 24 and there they remained until Jose Mourinho ordered Trubin forward and against opponents suddenly down to nine men the Ukrainian delivered the telling blowThe league phase concluded in thrilling style with 18 simultaneous kickoffs as Barcelona and Sporting CP secured topeight positions alongside Bayern and five English teamsMeanwhile goalkeeper Anatoliy Trubins lastgasp header sensationally earned Benfica a place in the knockout phase playoffsSporting secured a topeight finish following Alisson Santos dramatic winner in BilbaoThe visitors twice pegged back their opponents at San Mames where Ousmane Diomande and Francisco Trincao cancelled out efforts from Oihan Sancet and Gorka Guruzeta respectivelyThen in the fourth minute of stoppage time Santos drilled a lastgasp winner beyond Unai Simon who had kept out Luis Suarezs initial attemptBarcelona came from behind to secure a topeight spot thanks to four secondhalf goals in 41 win over Copenhagen Seventeenyearold Viktor Dadason put Copenhagen ahead in the fourth minute running onto a pass from Mohamed Elyounoussi to slot inBarcelona pushed for an equaliser and broke through early in the second half when a superb long ball from Dani Olmo found Lamine Yamal to set up Robert Lewandowski to levelYamal scored a goal of his own on the hour through a deflected strike that looped in and Raphinha extended the hosts advantage from the penalty spot before Marcus Rashfords late freekick wrapped up the victoryArsenal beat Kairat Almaty 32 to record their eighth victory to become the first team to finish the league phase with a 100 recordThe Gunners flew out of the blocks Viktor Gyokeres charging through and curling in a low finish within three minutesThe visitors responded quickly Jorginho stroking in a confident penalty four minutes later but Arsenal had reasserted themselves by halftime â Kai Havertz cutting in from the right to curl in and Gabriel Martinelli finishing a fine team moveThe home side continued to dominate in the secondhalf but Kairat concluded their campaign on a positive note when Ricardinho headed in with the final touch of the matchLiverpool secured a comfortable 60 win over Qarabag at Anfield to confirm their place in the round of 16 The hosts dominated from the outset and opened the scoring through Alexis Mac Allisters closerange header doubling their advantage courtesy of Florian Wirtzs low drive into the bottom cornerMohamed Salah made it 30 with a sweetlystruck freekick before Hugo EkitikÃs deft finish added a fourth seven minutes later Mac Allister bundled in before Federico Chiesa completed the scoring in the final minute to secure Liverpool a topeight finish for the second season runningTottenham sealed a place in the top eight by winning in Frankfurt 20 for the second consecutive season Meanwhile firsthalf masterclass from Jeremy Doku secured Man City a comfortable win to finish the league phase and earn a topeight spotElsewhere Joao Pedro scored a fine double as Chelsea came from behind to progress directly to the last 16 and eliminate NapoliLast seasons finalists Inter Milan soaked up pressure from Dortmund but struck with precision to win 20The Italian side grew into the game and broke the deadlock when Federico Dimarco curled a sublime free kick past Gregor KobelSerhou Guirassy had a great chance for the hosts in the firsthalf but Andy Diouf was on hand to wrap it up in added time with a deflected second IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-madrid-drop-to-play-offs-five-english-clubs-move-into-round-of-16-660043.html Thu, 29 Jan 2026 23:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-mbappes-brace-take-real-madrid-on-top-osasuna-end-away-jinx-659599.html Madrid Jan 25 Real Madrid moved to the top of La Liga with a 20 away win over thirdplaced Villarreal Kylian Mbappe scored both goals in the second half opening the scoring after Villarreal failed to deal with a cross from Vinicius Jr before converting a penalty deep into stoppage time after being fouledThe first half failed to live up to expectations but Real Madrid was the better side as Villarreal once again struggled against one of Spains big three Real Madrid Atletico Madrid and FC BarcelonaAtletico can extend the lead in third with a home win over Mallorca on SundayFC Barcelona is also in action on Sunday and would return on the top with a win at home against bottomside Oviedo reports XinhuaOsasuna claimed its first away win of the season with a 31 victory at Rayo Vallecano who lacked presence in attack Ante Budimir reacted smartly to put Osasuna ahead in the first half and although Pathe Ciss headed an equalizer in the 59th minute Victor Munoz inspired Osasunas late surge His 91stminute shot was deflected in by Jozhua Vertrouwd and Asier Osambela slotted home the third goal three minutes later to finish a counterattackAkor Adams 56thminute penalty gave Sevilla a 21 home win over Athletic Club Bilbao who looked flat after Wednesdays Champions League win away to AtalantaRobert Navarro had put Athletic ahead from close range in the 40th minute but Peque leveled just two minutes later and a handball by Yuri Berchiche allowed Adams to beat Unai Simon from the penalty spotLargie Ramazanis 94thminute penalty gave Valencia a second straight win with a 32 home victory over EspanyolHugo Duro and Eray Comert twice put Valencia ahead but Ramon Terrats closerange finish and Copetes unfortunate own goal looked to have salvaged a point for Espanyol before Ruben Sanchezs clumsy foul on Ramazani gifted the hosts the winThere was late drama on Friday night as Levante snatched a 32 win at home against Elche who thought they had taken a draw after Adam Boyars spectacular 92ndminute overhead kickAlvaro Rodriguez put Elche ahead before goals from Pablo Martinez and Adrian de la Fuente made it 21 for Levante who then snatched victory in the 96th minute thanks to Alan Matturros nearpost flick from a lastgasp corner IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-mbappes-brace-take-real-madrid-on-top-osasuna-end-away-jinx-659599.html Sun, 25 Jan 2026 18:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/fifa-to-award-record-prize-money-to-womens-champions-cup-participants-659532.html Geneva Jan 24 A recordbreaking prize money will be awarded to the inaugural FIFA Womens Champions Cup winner the world football governing body announced on Saturday The final champion of the Womens Champions Cup will receive 23 million US dollars while the runnerup will earn one million FIFA saidThe champions from every confederation will compete for the intercontinental club title The two semifinals are scheduled at Brentford Stadium Gtech Community Stadium in London Britain on January 28 The final will be played at Arsenal Stadium Emirates Stadium on February 1Gotham FC of the United States the CONCACAF champion will face SC Corinthians of Brazil the CONMEBOL champion in the first semifinal while European champion Arsenal of England will take on CAF champion ASFAR of Morocco in the otherIn addition to the prize money awarded to the finalists the other two losing teams will also receive 200000 US dollars each The two teams eliminated in Round 1 and Round 2 OFC representative Auckland United of New Zealand and AFC representative Wuhan Jiangda of China will receive 100000 dollars eachA total payout of close to USD 4 million distributed among the six participants based on their performance is a clear statement of the belief in womens club football and the players teams and competitions driving its continued rise said FIFA Secretary General Mattias Grafstrom IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/fifa-to-award-record-prize-money-to-womens-champions-cup-participants-659532.html Sat, 24 Jan 2026 12:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-former-india-and-east-bengal-defender-ilyas-pasha-passes-away-aged-61-659348.html New Delhi Jan 22 Former India defender Ilyas Pasha died on Thursday following a long illness the AllIndia Football Federation AIFF informed expressing condolences on his passing He was 61 and is survived by his wife two daughters and two sons Pasha a dedicated and softspoken footballer built a notable career in the defensive position that requires resilience and composure Mainly playing as a right wingback he was known for his precise timing calm attitude and sharp game awareness Unfazed under pressure Pashaâs disciplined positioning and careful tackles made life difficult for opposing left wingers giving his goalkeepers more confidenceAt the international level Ilyas Pasha made his senior India debut on January 27 1987 against Bulgaria in the Nehru Cup at Kozhikode He earned a total of eight international caps participating in two Nehru Cup tournaments 1987 and 1991 the 1991 SAF Games and the 1992 Asian Cup qualifiersPasha started his football career at Vinayaka Football Club in Vyalikaval north Bengaluru where he lived His strong performances led to a transfer to Indian Telephone Industries in the mid1980s marking his rise to the national stage From 1987 he regularly played for Karnataka in the Santosh Trophy participating in tournaments in Kolkata in 1987 Quilon now Kollam in 1988 and Guwahati in 1989 His standout performance in Guwahati was notable although Karnataka narrowly missed reaching the final Additionally he secured two Santosh Trophy titles with Bengal in 1993 and 1995Building on his domestic successes Pasha was signed by Mohammedan Sporting where he further boosted his reputation by winning the Sait Nagjee Trophy and the Nizam Gold Cup in 1989 He later transferred to East Bengal marking the most significant phase of his club careerAs a key player for the iconic red and gold from the early 1990s until the end of the decade Pasha was central to one of the clubâs most successful periods He served as captain during the 199394 season and was a trusted figure under the late coach Subhas BhowmickWith the Red and Gold Brigade he secured the Calcutta Football League title five times 1991 1993 1995 1996 1998 the IFA Shield five times 1990 1991 1994 1995 1997 and the Durand Cup four times 1990 1991 1993 1995 His collection of trophies also includes two Rovers Cups 1990 1994 the Federation Cup 1996 the historic Wai Wai Cup in Kathmandu 1993 Airlines Trophy titles in 1990 1992 1995 1997 the Bordoloi Trophy 1992 ATPA Shield 1992 Kalinga Cup 1993 McDowell Trophy 1995 1997 and the Super Cup in 199697 seasonHe was part of East Bengalâs renowned triple crownwinning team in 1990 and served as captain when they won their first international title at the Wai Wai Cup in 1993 He also captained East Bengal during their impressive 62 win against Iraqs Al Zawraa SC in the 199394 Asian Cup Winners Cup In 2012 he received a special Lifetime Achievement Award from East BengalThe AIFF expressed its condolences to the Indian football community over the passing of Pasha a defender known for his calmness and reliability and recognised his enduring impact on the sport IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-former-india-and-east-bengal-defender-ilyas-pasha-passes-away-aged-61-659348.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 01:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/europa-league-villa-edge-fenerbahce-to-seal-round-of-16-spot-roma-earn-vital-win-659406.html New Delhi Jan 23 Aston Villa secured a place in the UEFA Europa League round of 16 with a game to spare after a 10 victory over Fenerbahce Jadon Sanchoâs first goal in Villa colours was enough to tie up all three points for Unai Emeryâs men on Matchday Seven as he headed Matty Cashâs cross home on 25 minutesVilla almost doubled their advantage shortly after the hour Cashs longrange effort smacking the upright The hosts stepped up their efforts to level the contest with Marco Bizot forced into a number of saves the pick of them denying substitute TaliscaThe win coupled with results elsewhere means that only a maximum of five teams can now overtake the secondplaced Villans in the league phase table ensuring the lowest they can mathematically finish is seventhA top eight spot sends Emeryâs charges straight through to the round of 16 skipping the last 32 playoff round which will be contested in FebruaryIt is the second season running that the Villans have secured a top eight finish in European competition and progressed straight through to the last 16 after finishing eighth in last seasonâs Champions League table before eventually reaching the quarterfinalsElsewhere level on points coming into Matchday 7 Roma edged out Stuttgart at the Stadio Olimpico thanks to Niccolò Pisillis goals late in each halfIn a highenergy game Stuttgart came closest first through Jamie Leweling before Roma youth product Pisilli struck after a defencesplitting pass from Matias Soule UEFA reportsDeniz Undav was unable to convert the best of Stuttgarts opportunities in the second half before Pisilli made sure of the result in added time The result ensures both teams will at least contest the knockout phase playoffsIn another action Ryan Yates scored an own goal less than a minute after Morgan GibbsWhite missed a penalty for Nottingham Forest as Braga secured a vital win in PortugalChances were few and far between in the first half but the game came to life with GibbsWhites missed spot kick followed by Yates inadvertently turning the ball into his own net less than 60 seconds laterOla Ainas powerful longrange strike rattled the bar before Pau Victor struck the post for the hosts and Elliot Anderson was dismissed late on for Forest IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/europa-league-villa-edge-fenerbahce-to-seal-round-of-16-spot-roma-earn-vital-win-659406.html Fri, 23 Jan 2026 09:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/kanes-double-sends-bayern-through-in-champions-league-659260.html Berlin Jan 22 Harry Kane scored twice in the second half as Bayern Munich beat Royale Union SaintGilloise 20 to qualify early for the Champions League last 16 despite playing the final halfhour with 10 men The win lifted Bayern to second in the Champions League leaguephase table and secured a topeight finish sealing qualification for the last 16Bayern started brightly and nearly took the lead in the second minute when Luis Diaz burst into the area and squared for Kane but Union goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen intervened The early tempo soon faded as the Belgian visitors sat in a compact shape and disrupted Bayern through the middle third reports XinhuaUnion grew in confidence as the half went on Kevin Mac Allister sent a free kick wide while Promise David missed the clearest chance of the first period when he headed straight at goalkeeper Manuel Neuer from close range Bayern created little with Raphael Guerreiro glancing a header over from a corner as the sides went in scoreless at halftimeBayern returned with more purpose after the break and the breakthrough came from a set piece Kane headed in from close range after a corner in the 52nd minute and he doubled the lead three minutes later converting a penalty after he was brought down by ScherpenBayerns control was tested when Kim Minjae was sent off in the 63rd minute for a second yellow cardUnion pushed forward but struggled to create clear chances while Bayern remained dangerous on the counterKane nearly completed a hat trick but struck the crossbar with a late penalty Michael Olise also fired over when through on goalSecond half was better said Kane The first half was a bit sloppy with the ball but after the break we wanted to show more intensity and I think we did that We scored at the right timesThe red card was a bit unlucky but overall Im happy with the three points and proud of the boys for the way we finished qualification IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/kanes-double-sends-bayern-through-in-champions-league-659260.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/barca-win-in-prague-to-set-up-thrilling-last-group-games-in-champions-league-659263.html Madrid Jan 22 FC Barcelona won 42 away to Slavia Prague on Wednesday to keep its hopes of finishing in the Champions League top eight alive ahead of next weeks final round of matches Barcelona is one of eight teams on 13 points from sixthplaced Paris SaintGermain down to 13thplaced Atalanta setting up a decisive final round next WednesdaySlavia opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Vasil Kusej bundled home from close rangeFermin Lopez scored in the 34th and 42nd minutes to put Barcelona ahead but Robert Lewandowski headed into his own net two minutes later and it was 22 at halftime reports XinhuaBarcelona pulled clear after the break as Dani Olmo and Lewandowski scored to seal the win The result was tempered by an injury to Pedri who limped off with a hamstring problemElsewhere Dominik Szoboszlais free kick on the stroke of halftime put Liverpool ahead away to Olympique de Marseille before an own goal by Marseille goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli doubled the lead and Cody Gakpo added a third in stoppage timeAtalanta led Athletic Bilbao through Gianluca Scamaccas 16thminute header but Gorka Guruzeta equalized in the 58th minute Nico Serrano made it 21 in the 70th and Robert Navarro added a third in the 74th Nikola Krstovic pulled one back in the 88th minute but Athletic held on for a 32 winKhephren Thuram and Weston McKennie scored secondhalf goals as Juventus beat Benfica 20 at home leaving Benfica needing a win over Real Madrid next week to keep its hopes of reaching the playoffs aliveNewcastle United took a step toward a topeight finish with a 30 home win over PSV Eindhoven with Yoane Wissa and Anthony Gordon giving Eddie Howes side a 20 halftime lead before Harvey Barnes scored after the breakChelsea finished the round in eighth after Moises Caicedo scored the only goal in a 10 home win over PafosAtletico Madrid has work to do after drawing 11 away to Galatasaray while Qarabag came from behind late to beat Eintracht Frankfurt 32 at home IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/barca-win-in-prague-to-set-up-thrilling-last-group-games-in-champions-league-659263.html Thu, 22 Jan 2026 15:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/kostoulass-stoppage-time-stunner-helps-brighton-hold-bournemouth-659097.html Brighton and Hove Jan 20 Charalampos Kostoulas scored a spectacular overhead kick in secondhalf stoppage time to salvage a point for Brighton amp Hove Albion in a 11 draw with AFC Bournemouth The Cherries had looked set to leave the Amex Stadium with three points having defended resolutely after Marcus Tavernier scored a 32ndminute penaltyTavernier slotted into the bottomleft corner from the spot after Amine Adli went down under Bart Verbruggens challenge with referee Paul Tierney reversing his initial decision to book the Bournemouth man for simulation following a VAR review and awarding a penalty insteadBrighton bossed possession throughout the second half without truly testing Djordje Petrovic until 18yearold substitute Kostoulas gave the goalkeeper no chance with his stunning acrobatic effortIn the second half we had big opportunities We wanted to win this game in the end we have to accept the point but I think we definitely deserved to win this gameWe wasted 20 minutes in the first half after the goal and we could use them much more effectively In the second half we were better in positioning and then I think that we had the game under control and we could score more than one goal Brighton manager Fabian Hurzeler saidFollowing a winless December Brighton had quietly bolstered their European hopes with an unbeaten start to 2026 and an FA Cup victory at Manchester United last time out continued their positive momentumBournemouth boss Andoni Iraola added It is very harsh very harsh for us because we were so close to getting the three points We played a really good first half and had our chances we scored one and we were controlling the gameIn the second half we didnt have the energy to keep these intensity levels and we had to defend a little bit lower especially after the Brighton subs but we were doing well At the end it is an incredible goal from Kostoulas IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/kostoulass-stoppage-time-stunner-helps-brighton-hold-bournemouth-659097.html Tue, 20 Jan 2026 09:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-perfect-start-for-carrick-with-derby-win-arsenal-held-by-nottingham-forest-658881.html Londin Jan 18 Michael Carrick debuted with the best possible result on Saturday as Manchester United beat local rival Manchester City 20 at Old Trafford Bryan Mbeumo finished off a perfect counterattack to put United ahead in the 65th minute and Matheus Cunha then squared the ball for Patrick Dorgu to double the lead in the 76th minute and seal the points for the home sideCity struggled to contain its neighbors pace throughout the match and once again Erling Haaland struggled to make an impact at Old Trafford reported XinhuaArsenal was unable to take full advantage of Manchester Citys defeat as a solid defensive display from Nottingham Forest held Mikel Artetas side to a 00 draw although the result still stretched its lead at the top of the table to seven pointsJoao Pedros firsthalf goal from Enzo Fernandezs assist steadied nerves and put Chelsea on the way to a 20 home win over Brentford in Liam Roseniors league debut as Chelsea coachBrentford started the day above Chelsea in the Premier League but Cole Palmers 76thminute penalty assured Roseniors side three points that lifted Chelsea above its South London neighborFlorian Wirtz continued his positive scoring run to put Liverpool ahead against struggling Burnley but Scott Parkers side again showed its fighting spirit with Marcus Edwards equalizing in the 65th minute with Burnleys only shot on targetLiverpool had 11 shots between the posts but was unable to find a way past Martin Dubravka in the Burnley goalEnzo Le Fee and Brian Brobbey got Sunderland back to winning ways with a 21 home victory over Crystal Palace Yeremy Pino had put Crystal Palace ahead but 24 hours after coach Oliver Glasner announced he would leave at the end of the season his side was unable to hold onLukas Nmechas low strike at the start of injury time gave Leeds United a 10 win at home to Fulham a result made even more significant as West Ham gave itself a lifeline with a 21 win away to TottenhamCallum Wilson scored a 93rdminute goal for West Ham after the match had looked to be heading for a draw with Crysencio Summerville putting West Ham ahead after 15 minutes and Cristian Romero leveling from Pedro Porros assist with 26 minutes left IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-perfect-start-for-carrick-with-derby-win-arsenal-held-by-nottingham-forest-658881.html Sun, 18 Jan 2026 12:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/no-let-up-for-arbeloa-and-real-madrid-as-la-liga-enters-second-half-658482.html Madrid Jan 15 Real Madrid coach Alvaro Arbeloa has little time to reflect in the wake of Wednesdays disastrous Copa del Rey exit away to second division Albacete as his side takes on Levante in La Ligas 20th round Real Madrid go into the second half of the season with a new coach and a fourpoint deficit to FC Barcelona in the title race and with Arbeloa already under pressure after his debut ended in a humiliating cup exit on WednesdayThe pressure will be on in the Bernabeu against Levante who travel to Madrid second from bottom of the table but after taking four points in two matches under new coach Luis CastroTaking a point or three from Real Madrid looks like a big task for Castros side especially as Arbeloa rested Kylian Mbappe Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo in midweek Still the visiting side will hope to keep Real Madrid at bay in the opening minutes and that the frustration of the fans in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium will add to the pressure on Arbeloa and his players some of whom are making their third appearance in just seven days reports XinhuaThe 20th round kicks off on Friday night with a Catalan derby between highflying Espanyol and Girona who have climbed out of the bottom three with consecutive winsMallorca coach Jagoba Arrasate will almost certainly lose his job if his side fails to win at home to Athletic Club Bilbao Mallorca is just a point above the relegation zone after taking one point from nine while Athletic travel to the island after a draining 120 minutes in the Copa del Rey against Cultural Leon on Tuesday which highlighted the visitors defensive problemsAn improving Oviedo will look for their first away win of the season against Osasuna which has based their league position on taking points in their El Sadar stadium but may be tired after 120 minutes in the Copa del Rey on TuesdaySixthplace Betis are at home to a thirdplace Villarreal who rested in midweek while Betis beat Elche in the Copa del Rey on Wednesday nightVillarreal are seven points behind FC Barcelona and four behind Real Madrid with a game in hand and need another win to remain in the title huntSunday kicks off with an absolutely vital game between Getafe and Valencia with Valencia in the relegation zone and Getafe four points above them but in a dreadful run of form of four defeats and a draw from the last five gamesGetafe recovers defenders Djene and Domingos Duarte after suspension while Valencia coach Carlos Corberan could be sacked if his side fails to winAtletico Madrid are at home to Alaves with the latter needing to halt a slide that has left it just two places above the bottom three while Atletico were able to rest players in their Cup win in La Coruna on TuesdayCelta Vigo are at home to Rayo Vallecano with the home side favourites to collect a fifth league win in six games before the big game of the weekend sees Real Sociedad at home to FC BarcelonaBarcelona travel in excellent form and as newly crowned Super Cup winners but with little recovery time after playing Racing Santander in the Copa del Rey on ThursdayReal Sociedad have improved drastically since the arrival of Pellegrino Matarazzo as firstteam coach with players such as Benat Turrientes relishing the new responsibility they have been given in midfield and this game could confirm Matarazzos effect on the sideThe round of matches ends on Monday with Sevilla coach Matias Almeyda also in danger of the sack if his side fails to win away to an Elche that won in Sevillas Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium earlier this season IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/no-let-up-for-arbeloa-and-real-madrid-as-la-liga-enters-second-half-658482.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 04:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/in-mps-mini-brazil-cambodian-coach-trains-local-youth-in-football-skills-658506.html Bhopal Jan 15 The Shahdol district in Madhya Pradesh often referred as mini Brazil is in high spirits The reason behind is a celebrated footballer from Cambodia arriving in the city for handholding the new and emerging talent and honing the skills of football players with latest techniquesCharlie Pomeroy the international football coach has introduced the football players from the village to internationallevel football techniques He is counselling the young as well as experienced footballers getting them mentally and physically prepared to enhance their game and also enlightening with the techniques employed by successful players during major tournamentsSpeaking about his visit to Madhya Pradesh Charlie Pomeroy said that he heard a lot about Mini Brazil of Shahdol district and harboured a desire to nurture grassroots talent into international level playersSharing his firsthand assessment of the game and sporting spirit in the village he said that Shahdol is continuously evolving in the field of football and the players need to continue working hard despite challenges as longdrawn endeavour would eventually earn them big resultsNotably Madhya Pradeshs Mini Brazil and the football players passion and dedication spanning across generations were mentioned in Prime Minister Narendra Modis Mann Ki Baat programme and also in a podcast during his visit to the USInspired by this broadcast and social media content Charlie Pomeroy the technical head coach of the Cambodianbased FC NGO and an international football coach arrived in Vicharpur village where he has been training local players on new skills improved techniques fitness etcCharlie Pomeroy says that through this project he has learned that the football community in India is quite large There are a huge number of people who love football and India is not just a cricketplaying nation he addedJust as India produces excellent cricket players it can also produce excellent footballers Coach Pomeroy told IANSEarlier in November 2025 renowned German football coach Dietmar Beiersdorf visited Vicharpur village He met with the local players including those who had returned from Germany after receiving modern football training IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/in-mps-mini-brazil-cambodian-coach-trains-local-youth-in-football-skills-658506.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 08:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/fc-barcelona-valencia-book-copa-del-rey-quarterfinal-spots-658524.html Madrid Jan 16 FC Barcelona advanced into the quarterfinal of the Copa del Rey with a 20 win away to second division leader Racing Santander on Thursday night Racing defended deep in the first half and a Barcelona side that started without Pedri Raphinha or Robert Lewandowski was unable to trouble home goalkeeper Jokin Ezkieta report XinhuaFerran Torres scored the opener on 65 minutes after an excellent pass from Fermin Lopez and Ezkieta made two excellent saves to keep the score down in the closing minutesRacing was close to an equalizer with young loanee Manex Lozano seeing two efforts ruled out for offside and another shot saved by Joan Garcia in the final minutesLamine Yamal scored Barcelonas second in the last minute to finish off a counterattack with Racings players stranded in attack looking for an equalizerElsewhere Valencia had some relief from its La Liga relegation battle with a 20 win away to secondtier Burgos in very cold and wet conditions in the El Plantio StadiumRuben Iranzos header from a corner gave Valencia an early lead with new signing Umar Sadiq ending Burgos hopes three minutes into the second halfBarcelona and Valencia join Athletic Club Atletico Madrid Deportivo Alaves Real Betis Real Sociedad and Albacete in Mondays quarterfinal draw with secondtier Albacete having produced the biggest Cup upset in recent seasons with a 32 win at home to Real Madrid on Wednesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/fc-barcelona-valencia-book-copa-del-rey-quarterfinal-spots-658524.html Fri, 16 Jan 2026 10:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/arbeloa-debuts-with-loss-as-albacete-knock-real-madrid-out-of-copa-del-rey-658345.html Madrid Jan 15 Alvaro Arbeloas debut as Real Madrid coach ended in a shock exit from the Copa del Rey after a 32 defeat away to secondtier Albacete Arbeloa showed faith in the Castilla Bteam from which he has just been promoted with youngsters Jorge Cestero and David Jimenez in his starting 11The game was played in a foggy Carlos Belmonte Stadium in Albacete and the hosts who also rested plenty of regular starters took the lead in the 42nd minute when Javi Villar opened the scoring following a corner reports XinhuaFranco Mastantuono equalized for Real Madrid deep into firsthalf injury time after Dean Huijsen had flicked on a cornerAn upset looked to be on the cards when Jefte Betancor put Albacete back in front in the 82nd minute with a volley after Gonzalo Garcia failed to clearThe Madrid striker looked to have taken the game into extra time when he headed in from a corner to make it 22 but Jefte won the game in the 94th minute after finishing off a quick counterattackAlthough the strikers initial shot was blocked he clipped the rebound calmly over goalkeeper Andriy Lunin and into the net to produce the seasons biggest upset so farIn another match Real Betis reached the quarterfinals of the Copa del Rey after beating Elche 21 in the tie played at La CartujaElche took the lead through Petrot but in just thirteen minutes a brace from Chimy in the 68th and 81st minutes completed the comeback and secured their place in the next roundDefender Leo Petrot put Elche ahead in the 58th minute but Chimy Avila leveled after good work from Pablo FornalsAvila scored the winner with 10 minutes left after Aitor Ruibal worked his way into the penalty area and pulled the ball back for him to scoreElsewhere Deportivo Alaves qualified for the quarterfinal for the first time since 2018 with a 20 win at home to Rayo Vallecano with goals from Toni Martinez and Carlos Vicente who scored into an empty net from around 40 yards in the closing minutesIt was a bad night for Rayo who lost Sergio Camello to injury in the first half and had Isi Palazon sent off for a high boot just minutes after coming on in the 61st minute IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/arbeloa-debuts-with-loss-as-albacete-knock-real-madrid-out-of-copa-del-rey-658345.html Thu, 15 Jan 2026 10:25:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/nartey-nets-late-as-stuttgart-edge-frankfurt-in-bundesliga-658265.html Berlin Jan 14 Nikolas Nartey struck late to settle a breathless fivegoal contest as VfB Stuttgart claimed a dramatic 32 home victory over Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga Stuttgart entered the night full of confidence after having routed Bayer Leverkusen and made only one change welcoming Ermedin Demirovic back into the starting lineup for the first time since OctoberEintracht fresh from a highscoring draw with Borussia Dortmund were forced into several alterations and began with clear attacking intent reports XinhuaThe visitors were rewarded inside five minutes when Rasmus Kristensen glanced home a header from Ritsu Doans delivery to stun the home crowd Eintracht continued to play at a high tempo but suffered an early setback when new arrival Younes Ebnoutalib was forced off following a heavy collisionStuttgart gradually took control and drew level in the 27th minute as Demirovic capitalised on a handling error by goalkeeper Kaua Santos to finish from close rangeThe hosts completed the turnaround eight minutes later when Deniz Undavs low effort took a decisive deflection on its way inSebastian Hoeness side dominated for long spells after the break and created a string of chances but Eintracht remained dangerous Ansgar Knauff rattled the crossbar as the visitors threatened on the counter while Stuttgart failed to extend their lead despite several clear openingsThe momentum swung again ten minutes from time when substitute Ayoube AmaimouniEchghouyab marked his Bundesliga debut by drilling home to make it 22Just as the match appeared destined for a draw substitute Nartey arrived to meet Josha Vagnomans delivery and fired in his first league goal to decide the contest in the 87th minuteThe win lifts Stuttgart from fifth to third in the table leaving them four points behind secondplaced Borussia Dortmund while Eintracht remains seventhIt was a deserved victory for Stuttgart The spirit was there but it is frustrating that we have taken only one point from games against two top teams Now the focus is on turning the heavy effort we are putting in into points said Eintracht coach Dino ToppmollerElsewhere on Tuesday runnersup Borussia Dortmund eased to a 30 win over hapless Werder Bremen Mainz edged Heidenheim 21 in a match between two relegationthreatened teams while the match between Hamburg and Bayer Leverkusen was postponed due to unsafe wintry conditions IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/nartey-nets-late-as-stuttgart-edge-frankfurt-in-bundesliga-658265.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 09:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/athletic-clinch-thriller-atletico-real-sociedad-also-win-in-copa-del-rey-658268.html Madrid Jan 14 Athletic Club qualified for the quarterfinal of Spains Copa del Rey but not before suffering for 120 minutes away to second division Cultural Leonesa Athletic played for an hour with 10 men against a side that pushed the 2024 Cup winner to the limit before finally succumbing to an Unai Gomez penalty in extra timeThe home side started brighter of the two and was rewarded when Ivan Calero opened the scoring with a smart finish to finish off a counterattack reportsAthletic needed time to react but was level after 26 minutes when Gorka Guruzeta turned and scored from outside of the penalty areaThe visiting sides joy lasted around a minute when Calero put Cultural back ahead after Manu Justo broke the offside trap to set him up with an excellent pass with the goal given after a VAR checkIt didnt take long for Guruzeta to make it 22 with another turn and shot after a cross from Nico Williams but it was soon 32 after Ruben Sobrino netted a penalty for Cultural after Dani Vivians handball as Athletics defense continued to struggleThere was still another goal in the first half when Nico Williams had his heels clipped and Oihan Sancet kept his calm to make it 33 from the spotBoth sides were slightly more cautious at the start of the second half although Athletic was reduced to 10 men in the 56th minute when Aitor Paredes was sent off for speaking out of turn to referee Jose HernandezWith an extra man Cultural tried to take the game to Athletic but neither side found a winner in 90 minutes and the game went into extra timeThere was more drama when Cultural substitute Yayo Gonzalez forced the ball into the Athletic goal after the visitors failed to clear a corner but VAR eventually ruled the goal out for offside and just two minutes later the unfortunate Yayo caught Nico Williams in the penalty area to allow Gomez to score the winnerAtletico Madrid also progressed to the quarterfinals with a 10 win away to Deportivo La Coruna with Antoine Griezmann deciding the game after 60 minutesIn the days only allLa Liga tie Osasuna raced into a 20 lead away to Real Sociedad with Jon Moncayola scoring a stunning effort before a Mikel Oyarzabal own goal doubled the leadReal Sociedad improved in the second half with Benat Turientes making it 21 with 15 minutes still to play and Igor Zubeldia levelled in the third minute of injury timeWith no further goals Real Sociedad goalkeeper Unai Marrero was then his sides hero with two saves in the penalty shootout to see his side through IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/athletic-clinch-thriller-atletico-real-sociedad-also-win-in-copa-del-rey-658268.html Wed, 14 Jan 2026 10:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrid-part-ways-with-xabi-alonso-appoint-alvaro-arbeloa-as-new-head-coach-658147.html Madrid Jan 12 Real Madrid CF on Monday announced that Xabi Alonso has left his role as the first team coach by mutual agreement bringing an end to his brief tenure at the Santiago Bernabeu âReal Madrid CF announces that by mutual agreement between the club and Xabi Alonso it has been decided to end his time as first team coachâ the club said in an official statement âXabi Alonso will always have the affection and admiration of all Madrid fans because he is a Real Madrid legend and has always represented the values of our club Real Madrid will always be his homeâThe decision comes on the back of Real Madridâs defeat to their great rivals Barcelona 32 in the Spanish Super Cup final last Sunday which placed more pressure on the coach as Real Madrid were four points below Barcelona in La LigaAlonso took over at Real Madrid on June 1 2025 after a successful tenure at Bayer Leverkusen where he led them to the domestic double in 202324 and made it to the Europa League finalsAlonso had a strong start to his time at Real Madrid making it to the semifinals of the Club World Cup and winning 13 out of his first 14 matches in charge of Real Madrid The only loss during this run came in a heavy defeat at the hands of their city rivals Atletico MadridAlonsoâs early momentum came to a halt when Real Madrid were defeated by Liverpool in the Champions League on November 4 During what became a difficult stretch Real Madrid only won two of their following eight matches the only bright spot during this period being a subsequent fivematch winning sequence which ultimately proved insufficient to persuade the club to continue with Alonso in the long termThe club also expressed gratitude to Alonso and his staff adding âOur club thanks Xabi Alonso and his entire technical team for their work and dedication during this time and wishes them the best of luck in this new stage of their livesâShortly after confirming Alonsoâs departure Real Madrid also announced his successor âReal Madrid CF announces that Ãlvaro Arbeloa is the new first team coachâ the club saidAlvaro Arbeloa has been the manager of Castilla since June 2025 and has spent his entire coaching career in Real Madrids youth academy since 2020He managed the Infantil A team in the 20202021 season winning the league title the Cadete A team in 20212022 and the Juvenil A team from 2022 to 2025As a Juvenil manager he achieved the treble in 20222023 League Copa del Rey and Champions Cup and the League title in the 20242025 season As a player Arbeloa was part of one of the most successful eras in Real Madridâs history He represented the club from 2009 to 2016 making 238 official appearances and winning eight major trophies including two Champions League titles La Liga two Copa del Rey trophies and a Club World CupArbeloa also enjoyed a distinguished international career with Spain earning 56 caps and winning the 2010 World Cup along with European Championship titles in 2008 and 2012 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrid-part-ways-with-xabi-alonso-appoint-alvaro-arbeloa-as-new-head-coach-658147.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 01:53:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/paris-fc-eliminate-holders-psg-from-french-cup-658168.html Paris Jan 13 Paris FC caused a major upset at the Parc des Princes as they knocked the holders Paris SaintGermain out of the Coupe de France with 10 win in the Round of 32 Despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances PSG never managed to break down the opposing defense as exemplified by Obed Nkambadio who made several crucial savesLuis Enriques men were ultimately caught out on a counterattack finished by Jonathan Ikone who sealed the victory for his former club in the 74th minute 10The match got underway at a oneway pace in favour of the title holders PSG who lacked cutting edge against a particularly compact defenceSharp on the counterattack Stephane Gilliâs men sent the first shivers through the stands of the Parc des Princes around the quarterhour mark It would take more however to beat a Lucas Chevalier who is once again imperious on his line getting down perfectly to deny Alimani Goryâs effort 13 PSG reportsIn quick succession Obed Nkambadio came to his teamâs rescue by tipping away a deceptive crossshot from Bradley Barcola 23 and an audacious strike from Goncalo Ramos 24Despite clear dominance and two further efforts from Senny Mayulu 36 and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia 451 PSG were unable to make the breakthrough before the breakAfter the break PSG picked up the pace and tried to break down the Paris rearguard who relied on Obed Nkambadio to keep the scores levelOutstanding up to that point the Paris FC goalkeeper won his oneonone battle with Kvaratskhelia 51 Ramos 56 and Warren ZaÃreEmery 60Enrique then injected fresh legs on the hour mark bringing on Desire Doue Nuno Mendes and Ousmane Dembele The latter quickly caused problems for the PFC defence but he too was denied by an everunbeatable Nkambadio 72Moments later the visitors took full advantage of a lightning counterattack to cut through the Rouge et Bleu defence and open the scoring through Jonathan Ikonà 0â1 74The hosts raised the intensity in a bid to claw their way back into the game Warren ZaireEmery came agonisingly close to sending the stadium into raptures but his effort crashed against the crossbar 87In the dying seconds it was Doues turn to see his attempt die at the foot of the post 906 And so in a cruel twist of fate PSG were beaten by the narrowest of margins and knocked out of this years Coupe de France IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/paris-fc-eliminate-holders-psg-from-french-cup-658168.html Tue, 13 Jan 2026 10:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-villarreal-close-gap-at-top-valencia-slip-into-trouble-657843.html Madrid Jan 11 Villarreal strengthened its position in third place in La Liga with a 31 win at home to Alaves With their victory over Deportivo Alaves 3â1 Villarreal CF have secured the best first half of a season in their history in the Primera Division reaching 41 points and surpassing their bestever tally after 19 La Liga matchdaysSecondhalf goals from Alberto Moleiro Gerard Moreno and Georges Mikautadze lifted Villarreal to within eight points of FC Barcelona and four of secondplaced Real Madrid with a game in hand while Alaves reached the halfway point of the season just above the relegation zoneOviedo and Real Betis drew 11 with Giovani Lo Celso getting a slight touch on Antonys cross in the 83rd minute after it looked as if Ilyas Chaira had put Oviedo on track for just its third win of the season with 25 minutes leftValencia remains in the bottom three after a 11 draw at home to Elche with Grady Diangana putting Elche ahead in the 75th minute but then committing the handball that allowed Pepelu to save a point for Valencia from the penalty spot with three minutes leftVladislav Vanat scored the only goal of the game with a smart backheel on the stroke of halftime to give Girona a 10 win at home to OsasunaThe win lifted Girona four points clear of the relegation zone but leaves Osasuna just two points above Valencia in the danger zoneOn Friday night Real Sociedad defender Jon Aramburu scored a header in the closing seconds of the game to see his side win 21 in GetafeBrais Mendezs 36thminute volley put Real Sociedad ahead and the Basque side wasted several chances before Juanmi equalised from close range with just over five minutes left but Aramburus late header secured Real Sociedads win IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-villarreal-close-gap-at-top-valencia-slip-into-trouble-657843.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/stuttgart-dismantles-leverkusen-in-emphatic-away-bundesliga-display-657845.html Berlin Jan 11 VfB Stuttgart produced a ruthless firsthalf performance to overwhelm Bayer Leverkusen 41 away from home as the Bundesliga resumed after the winter break Stuttgart seized control from the opening minutes and was rewarded early After a wellweighted through ball from Deniz Undav Jamie Leweling burst clear and calmly finished past goalkeeper Mark Flekken in the seventh minuteLeverkusen struggled to respond lacking fluency and penetration as Stuttgart pressed aggressively and dominated the midfield exchanges reports XinhuaThe pressure paid off again before the halfhour mark when Josha Vagnoman was brought down inside the penalty area by Jeanuel Belocian Maximilian Mittelstadt stepped up and converted the resulting spot kick with composure in the 29th minuteLeverkusen briefly threatened through a deflected effort that forced a strong save from goalkeeper Alexander Nubel but Stuttgart remained firmly in controlLeweling struck again in the 45th minute following another assist from Undav Deep into stoppage time Undav capped a dominant display by powering past his marker and firing in Stuttgarts fourth to complete a devastating first halfLeverkusen showed greater intent after the break pushing higher and committing more players forward Alejandro Grimaldo converted a penalty in the 66th minute after Malik Tillman was fouled reducing the deficit to 41The win lifts Stuttgart into fifth place and back into contention for the UEFA Champions League positions while Leverkusen drops from third to fourthLeverkusen have the chance to bounce back in three days time as they end the Hinrunde away to promoted side Hamburger SV on TuesdayElsewhere in the 16th round Freiburg claimed a 21 victory over Hamburger SV while Union Berlin and Mainz played out a 22 draw Cologne also shared the points after being held to a 22 draw by Heidenheim IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/stuttgart-dismantles-leverkusen-in-emphatic-away-bundesliga-display-657845.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/fa-cup-chelsea-beat-charlton-athletic-macclesfield-knock-out-holders-crystal-palace-in-greatest-upset-657847.html London Jan 11 Liam Roseniors reign as Chelsea head coach began with a convincing 51 victory away to Charlton Athletic as the Blues progressed to the fourth round of the FA Cup Rosenior was appointed as Blues head coach on Tuesday replacing former head coach Enzo Maresca but didnt take training until Thursday meaning this was his first game in chargeChelsea were totally dominant in the first half enjoying 78 per cent possession and having Charlton camped in their defensive third for most of the opening 45 minutesHowever Chelsea had to wait until the fourth minute of injurytime to take the lead when Jorrel Hato smashed home an impressive first goal for ChelseaThe head of Tosin then doubled the advantage five minutes after the restart before Miles Leaburn pulled a goal back soon afterChelseas twogoal advantage was restored five minutes later though through Marc Guiu and the win was rounded off in injury time with further goals by Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez the latter from the penalty spotEarlier FA Cup holders Crystal Palace were knocked out in stunning fashion by nonleague Macclesfield FC in one of the greatest upsets in the competitionâs historyMacclesfield FC delivered the greatest upset in Emirates FA Cup history as they bridged a gap of 117 league places to stun defending champions Palace in a magical thirdround tiePaul Dawsonâs towering header and Isaac BuckleyRickettsâ genius flick ensured the National League North team are the first nonleague side to beat the Cup holders in 108 yearsThe 117 league places between the sides at kickoff represent the largest gap of any upset in FA Cup history and it was the first time a nonleague side scored twice against the FA Cup holders since Runcorn v Preston in 1939In another action Manchester City didnât hold back against Exeter City scoring a phenomenal 10 goals including one from Antoine Semenyo who made his debut the day after signing for the club from AFC BournemouthA topflight team hasnât scored 10plus goals in an FA Cup game since Tottenham Hotspur beat Crewe 132 in 1960Semenyo also set up Rico Lewis â making him the first player to score and assist on his Man City debut since Sergio Aguero in 2011 in an impressive first game IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/fa-cup-chelsea-beat-charlton-athletic-macclesfield-knock-out-holders-crystal-palace-in-greatest-upset-657847.html Sun, 11 Jan 2026 10:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-wasteful-dortmund-snatch-late-point-in-frankfurt-thriller-657736.html Berlin Jan 10 Former Champions Borussia Dortmund secured a dramatic 33 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt in a pulsating Bundesliga encounter that marked the leagues return from the winter break with a sixgoal spectacle on Friday night Dortmund made a sharp start and took the lead after 10 minutes when Maximilian Beier converted Julian Ryersons low cross following a precise diagonal ball from Nico Schlotterbeck Frankfurt gradually gained momentum and were rewarded in the 22nd minute as Can Uzun calmly converted a penalty after Serhou Guirassy fouled Robin Koch inside the areaThe high tempo continued despite difficult conditions with chances at both ends before the interval Frankfurt goalkeeper Kaua Santos denied Schlotterbeck with a header while Dortmund threatened through quick combinations but were unable to regain the lead before the break reports XinhuaFrankfurt emerged strongly after halftime and debutant Younes Ebnoutalib went close with a header early in the second half Dortmund weathered the pressure and regained control taking the lead again in the 68th minute when Felix Nmechas longrange strike was slightly deflected by Hugo Larsson and bounced in off the inside of the postThe hosts responded immediately Substitute Arnaud Kalimuendo threaded a perfectly weighted pass into the path of Ebnoutalib who kept his composure to equalise just three minutes later The match opened up in the closing stages with Dortmund coming close when Schlotterbeck struck the crossbarLate drama followed in stoppage time Former Dortmund midfielder Mahmoud Dahoud appeared to have sealed victory for Frankfurt with a composed finish from the edge of the area in the 92nd minute Dortmund however snatched a point at the death as substitute Carney Chukwuemeka reacted quickest to Marcel Sabitzers cross to equalize in the 96th minuteIt is positive that we did not lose but when you create so many chances and control large parts of the game it is not enough said Dortmund midfielder Felix NmechaOf course it hurts when you take the lead so late and then concede the equalizer that is frustrating said Frankfurt coach Dino Toppmoeller But we must not forget we played against Dortmund a team with a lot of quality and strengthThe result leaves Dortmund second after the kickoff of the 16th round eight points behind leaders Bayern Munich who play on Sunday Frankfurt missed the chance to move into the top four and remain seventh IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-wasteful-dortmund-snatch-late-point-in-frankfurt-thriller-657736.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 09:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-morocco-senegal-reach-caf-africa-cup-of-nations-semifinals-657755.html Rabat Jan 10 Host Morocco won over Cameroon 20 and Senegal defeated Mali 10 on Friday to book the first two tickets to the semifinals in the CAF Africa Cup of Nations football tournament At Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat Brahim Diaz broke the deadlock for Morocco in the 26th minute while Ismael Saibari sealed the win with a leftfooted shot from the centre of the box in the 74th minute Morocco were beaten by Cameroon in the semifinals the last time they hosted AFCON in 1988 but things took a different course on Friday nightMorocco Africas topranked nation and World Cup semifinalists in 2022 are under enormous pressure to win the trophy in front of their own fans half a century after their last continental title CoMorocco coach Walid Regragui said they were on course to achieve that dreamWe need to just keep going one game at a time We have not done anything yet said Regragui who nevertheless also hailed a historic victory after the matchMoroccans have not seen their team in the semifinal of an AFCON for 22 years They deserve it but we need to keep our feet on the ground and make it even more historic he was quoted as saying by the local mediaIn the lastfour stage Morocco will face the winner of Saturdays clash between Algeria and Nigeria reports XinhuaMeanwhile Iliman Ndiaye scored the only goal of the match for Senegal in the 27th minute at Tangiers Grand Stadium During this fiercely contested West African derby Mali were reduced to ten men when their captain Yves Bissouma was sent off in added time at the end of the first half reports XinhuaSenegal will next face the winner of Saturdays match between record champion Egypt and title holder CÃte dIvoireThe biggest football tournament in Africa will continue with the third and fourth semifinal spots to be decided on Saturday night IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-morocco-senegal-reach-caf-africa-cup-of-nations-semifinals-657755.html Sat, 10 Jan 2026 18:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/manchester-city-sign-antoine-semenyo-from-afc-bournemouth-657705.html Manchester Jan 9 Three times Premier League champions Manchester City on Friday secured the signing of AFC Bournemouth forward Antoine Semenyo strengthening their attacking options midway through the ongoing season The Ghana international has been roped in on a fiveandahalfyear contract that will keep him at the Etihad Stadium until 2031 Semenyo has enjoyed a meteoric rise to become one of the Premier Leagueâs most feared forwards He is on a golden patch in the ongoing season and has scored 10 goals so far The 26yearold has been among the best attackers in English football this season Semenyo will be available to feature immediately for City and is also eligible to play in next Tuesdayâs Carabao Cup semifinal firstleg at NewcastleâI am so proud to have joined Manchester City I have watched City over the last decade under Pep Guardiola and they have been the dominant team in the Premier League as well as achieving amazing things in the Champions League FA Cup and League Cupâ said Semenyo on joining Manchester CityâThey have set the highest of standards and itâs a club with worldclass players worldclass facilities and one of the greatest managers ever in Pepâ he addedSemenyo also hinted at further improvement as he joins his new club The forward also said that he cannot wait to play in front of the Manchester City fans âI have so much scope for improvement so to be at this club at this stage of my career is perfect for me Itâs a real privilege to be here My best football is yet to come I am sure of that And City are in a great position still involved in four competitions I really feel I can help them have a strong second half of the seasonâ he saidâThe Etihad is my new home I canât wait to play in front of the fans here and I hope to show everyone what I can doâ he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/manchester-city-sign-antoine-semenyo-from-afc-bournemouth-657705.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 20:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/iwl-2025-26-emem-hat-trick-powers-kickstart-to-victory-over-sesa-657709.html Kolkata Jan 9 Kickstart FC earned only their second victory of the Indian Womenâs League 202526 defeating Sesa Football Academy 31 at the National Centre of Excellence in Kolkata on Friday Nigerian forward Emem Peace Essien 2â 61â 903â netted a hattrick to earn the victory for Kickstart while Sesa FA captain Aniela Barretto 17â scored one Though both teams remain in the relegation zone Kickstart are just a point behind Gokulam Kerala at sixth and have given themselves a good chance to avoid relegation in Phase 2 of the competition Sesa on the other hand have just one point from their seven matches and are still searching for their first topflight winKickstart took control of the game early when Ranjana Chanuâs cross from the left was spilt by Sesa goalkeeper Beatrice Nketia Emem reacted fastest and scored into an empty net in the second minuteThough the side from Karnataka controlled the game for a long duration Sesa were not willing to give this up without a fight Against the run of play Jeewanti managed to break free for Sesa on the right as she sent in a cross that was turned in by AnielaKickstart kept looking for the goal that would put them in the lead but clearcut chances in the final third were few and far between Ranjana in the 36th tested Beatrice with a longrange effort which the Ghanaian goalkeeper palmed awayKickstartâs domination continued in the second half and they finally had the lead just after the hour mark Again a cross from the left by Ranjana found Emem at the edge of the box She controlled the ball deftly before shooting on the turn to make it 21In the 72nd minute Kickstartâs Rafiat Aweda advanced down the right and sent a low cross across the face of the goal for substitute Olivia Chanu who could only hit the upright with her glancing effortSesaâs opportunities were few and far between and were mostly restricted to longrange efforts Even then substitute Sarjida Khatun had almost caught Kickstart goalkeeper Haripriya Deka off guard in the 84th minute when she decided to cut in from the right and pull the trigger Haripriya however managed to get her hand to the ball and collected it eventuallyEmem put things beyond doubt in injury time when Bibicha Devi advancing down the right found Babysana Devi with a low cross While the latterâs shot was initially saved the rebound fell to Emem who poked it in IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/iwl-2025-26-emem-hat-trick-powers-kickstart-to-victory-over-sesa-657709.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 20:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/courtois-keeps-atletico-at-bay-to-power-real-madrid-into-spanish-super-cup-final-657575.html Jeddah Jan 9 Federico Valverde and Rodrygo scored and goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made a series of fine saves as Real Madrid beat Atletico Madrid 21 to qualify for Sundays Spanish Super Cup final against FC Barcelona Atletico dominated the game and had more than twice as many shots as Real but was only able to beat Courtois once through Alexander Sorloths secondhalf headerThe game was only in its second minute when Jude Bellingham went down under pressure around 10 meters outside the Atletico penalty area with the referee awarding Real Madrid a free kick reports XinhuaValverde hit the ball hard and flat and it was still rising as it hit the back of the Atletico net leaving goalkeeper Jan Oblak helplessReal Madrid began the game by pressing high and stopping Atletico from moving the ball effectively but as the half progressed Atletico created enough chances to have scored only to be frustrated time and again by former Atletico keeper CourtoisSorloth had already headed over and Julian Alvarez fired wide before Courtois was at full stretch to push away Alex Baenas shotThe goalkeeper then produced a stunning reflex save to tip over Sorloths header following a corner and after the Norwegian nodded over Conor Gallaghers cross Courtois was again at his best to deny Baena with Gallagher hitting the rebound wideAtletico started the second half brightly but it was Real which doubled its lead when Rodrygo latched onto Valverdes throughball and beat Oblak with a cool finish in the 55th minute Sorloth finally got the ball in the net with a powerful header three minutes later to get Atletico back into the gameCourtois pushed another effort from Sorloth wide before Real Madrid was forced to change both central defenders with Antonio Rudiger and Raul Asencio replaced by Ferland Mendy and Fran GarciaAtletico continued to attack but once again Courtois denied Antoine Griezmann before Marcos Llorente and Alvarez sent efforts just wide IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/courtois-keeps-atletico-at-bay-to-power-real-madrid-into-spanish-super-cup-final-657575.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 09:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenals-martinelli-issues-apology-after-conor-bradley-injury-scare-657615.html London 9 Jan North London club Arsenals forward Gabriel Martinelli has issued an apology after his actions during the Premier League match against the archrival Liverpool were criticised The 24yearold winger drew massive attention when he was caught pushing injured Liverpool player Conor Bradley off the pitch near the end of the match at the Emirates Stadium in London After Martinellis push the Reds player fell near the touchline during stoppage time As the seconds passed the Arsenal star thought Conor was wasting time and he threw the ball at the Liverpool player who was also seen being manhandledOnce the game finished Martinelli realised his mistake The forward issued a public apology on Instagram and also revealed that he reached out to the injured Bradley over text to apologiseâConor and I have messaged and Ive already apologised to him I really didnt understand he was seriously injured in the heat of the momentâ Martinelli wrote on his Instagram storyâI want to say Im deeply sorry for reacting Sending Conor all my best again for a quick recoveryâ he addedArsenal manager Mikel Arteta also defended Martinelli saying he probably did not know Bradley was injuredâBecause knowing Gabi theres zero intention I dont know what happened to Conor Hopefully hes not bad Obviously theres no intention of Gabi to do anything bad to himâ he said in the postmatch presentationSpeaking of the game Arsenal lost the opportunity to move eight points clear at the top of the Premier League as Liverpool held them to a 00 draw to keep their hopes alive in the top English league Mikel Artetas men failed to score for the first time at home all season but did enough to extend their advantage over secondplaced Manchester City to six pointsArsenal now has 49 points from 21 matches while City is placed second with 43 points Meanwhile Liverpool strengthened its position in fourth place with 35 points to their name IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenals-martinelli-issues-apology-after-conor-bradley-injury-scare-657615.html Fri, 09 Jan 2026 13:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/barcelona-stroll-into-spanish-super-cup-final-with-easy-win-over-athletic-club-657387.html Jeddah Jan 8 FC Barcelona cruised into the final of the Spanish Super Cup with a comfortable 50 win over Athletic Club in a game that was effectively over by halftime It will be Barcas fourth consecutive Super Cup final and the 28th overall figures that further underline their dominance in the competition that they have won more than any other club 15Athletic captain Inaki Williams had criticised the decision to play the Super Cup in Saudi Arabia in the runup to the game and after a bright opening 10 minutes his side seemed to lose focus putting up very little resistance to Barcelonas flowing attacking footballUnai Simon had already saved from Fermin Lopez when Ferran Torres scored the opener with a bouncing shot from inside the area reports XinhuaAthletic had a reasonable claim that the opening goal came after a foul against them when winger Alex Berenguer had cleanly won the ball but they had no answer to Barcelonas avalanche of goals that followedFermin Lopez doubled Barcelonas lead after slotting home following an excellent cross from Raphinha in the 30th minute and two minutes later he set up Roony Bardghji to make it 30 with another fine assistRoony then set up Raphinha to score his first of the night with a powerful shot in the 38th minute and the pair combined for Barcelonas fifth seven minutes after the breakAthletic coach Ernesto Valverde had made his five changes before the hour mark with Hansi Flick bringing on Marcus Rashford Marc Bernal Gerard Martin and Lamine Yamal for BarcelonaThe urgency had gone out of the game by then with Unai Gomez missing a good chance for Athletic but by then Barcelona was already thinking about Sundays final against either Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid who play in the second semifinal on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/barcelona-stroll-into-spanish-super-cup-final-with-easy-win-over-athletic-club-657387.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 09:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-man-city-held-by-burnley-suffer-third-straight-draw-657391.html Manchester Jan 8 Manchester City were forced to settle for a share of the Premier League spoils for a third successive game as they drew 11 with Brighton at the Etihad On a night that saw young central defender Max Alleyne produce an accomplished senior debut a muchchanged City team had taken a 40thminute lead through Erling HaalandThe Norwegian striker converted a 40thminute penalty to register what was the 150th goal of his City careerBut though City had chances to extend that advantage the visitors hit back on the hour drawing level thanks to Kaoru Mitomaâs low drivePep Guardiolaâs men strained every sinew in an effort to find a late winner and Haaland was denied by a stupendous 80thminute save from Bart Verbruggen with the sides each claiming a pointElsewhere Harry Wilsons late winner secured Fulham a 21 victory over 10man Chelsea whose new boss Liam Rosenior watched from the stands at Craven CottageChelsea suffered an early blow when Marc Cucurella was sent off after 22 minutes for a lastman foul on WilsonChelsea were then offered a reprieve as Wilson had a firsthalf goal ruled out for offside against Raul Jimenez who later made amends by heading in the opening goal in the 55th minute Premier League reportsLiam Delap levelled just 17 minutes later reacting quickest to score his first Premier League goal for Chelsea only for the inform Wilson to drill an 81stminute winner past Robert SanchezIn another match Antoine Semenyo secured three points for AFC Bournemouth in style as his 95thminute longrange strike gave the Cherries a 32 win over Tottenham HotspurThe Bournemouth forward who is strongly linked with a move to Manchester City this month lashed the ball through a crowd of bodies in the Spurs box to seal all three points IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-man-city-held-by-burnley-suffer-third-straight-draw-657391.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/burnley-held-man-utd-2-2-villa-play-out-goalless-draw-with-palace-657395.html London Jan 8 Benjamin Seskos secondhalf double was only enough for a 22 draw at struggling Burnley in Darren Fletchers first game as Manchester Uniteds interim head coach Fletcher stepped in after Ruben Amorim was dismissed on Monday and the former Man Utd midfielder may have been fearing the worst when Ayden Heavens early own goal handed Burnley the lead at Turf MoorBut after United defender Lisandro Martinez saw what would have been a firsthalf equaliser ruled out Sesko produced two fine finishes within 10 minutes of each other to put United in frontThat joy was shortlived however as Jaidon Anthony picked out the topleft corner after 66 minutes with the Red Devils missing another chance to make ground on fourthplaced Liverpool before Arne Slots side face Arsenal on ThursdayThe draw leaves Man Utd sixth in the table two points off Liverpool while Burnley â whose winless run extended to 12 matches â remain 19th and eight points adrift of 17thplaced Nottingham ForestOn the other hand Aston Villa played out a goalless draw with Crystal Palace at Selhurst ParkA cagey first half saw Emi MartÃnez make a fine save from Brennan Johnson and Ollie Watkins denied by Dean Henderson at the other endThe second half provided more openings as both sides pushed for three points with Villa coming closest to finding a winner when Watkins headed Matty Cashâs cross onto a post in the 84th minuteA point in South London keeps Unai Emeryâs side third in the top flight as attention turns to the FA Cup and a trip to Tottenham Hotspur this weekendElsewhere Everton were held to a 11 draw by Wolves in a contest where the Blues controversially ended with nine men at Hill Dickinson StadiumMichael Keane netted the opener on 17 minutes expertly diverting home from closerange after the visitors failed to clear a freekick Mateus Mane levelled proceedings with a confident finish midway through the second halfEverton were reduced to 10 men with eight minutes remaining when after a lengthy VAR review Keane was adjudged to have committed an act of violent conduct after touching the hair of Tolu Arokodare as the pair competed in an aerial duelThose frustrations were compounded when Jack Grealish was dismissed minutes later for a second bookable offence IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/burnley-held-man-utd-2-2-villa-play-out-goalless-draw-with-palace-657395.html Thu, 08 Jan 2026 10:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-four-things-we-learned-in-spains-matchday-18-657237.html Madrid Jan 5 La Liga returned this weekend with FC Barcelona and Real Madrid both winning albeit in different ways Real defeated Betis 51 while Barcelona won 20 over Espanyol in an away match this weekend With these results Barcelona maintained their fourpoint advantage over Real Madrid leading the standings with 49 points as against Madrids 45 points Villarreal are third with 38 points followed by Atletico Madrid who are fourth with the same number of points but are placed lower on goal differenceAs the dust settles on the weekends matches here are some things we learned in Spain this weekend1 Joan Garcia stakes his claimUntil now Spain coach Luis de la Fuente has resisted calls for Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia to be included in the Spain squad but if Garcia continues to show the form he has produced in the last month it will be hard to leave him out of the World Cup squad even if De la Fuente wants to remain loyal to Unai Simon David Raya and Alex Remiro reports XinhuaGarcia was exceptional on his return to face his former club Espanyol and despite a very hostile reception from his former fans he produced a series of saves that kept Barca in the game before late efforts from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski won the matchStrikers tend to win the headlines but in this case Garcia earned the plaudits and deservedly so2 Gonzalo offers an alternative to Real MadridThere was no Kylian Mbappe in the Real Madrid side that beat Betis 51 on Sunday but that was no problem as young striker Gonzalo Garcia scored a hattrick to show he can play an important role in the sideHelped by some poor defending Gonzalo scored a header a volley from outside of the penalty area and a backflick to give Real Madrid the three points but beyond the goals Gonzalo was importantHe is much more of a traditional number nine able to play a central role and lay the ball off to his companions in that he differs from Mbappe Vinicius and Rodrygo who tend to run in from wide positions and thus he offers something different to his sides attack3 More awayday blues for Atletico MadridAtletico Madrid kicked off 2026 with two more points dropped on the road after a 11 draw away to Real Sociedad who had new coach Pellegrino Matarazzo in the dugoutWhile Matarazzo will be pleased with a battling display from his side who could have won with some better finishing Atletico Madrid coach Diego Simeone is left to lament another disappointing display away from home that leaves Atletico 11 points behind FC Barcelona and with its options to win the title once again looking slim4 Sporting gesture from AspasCelta Vigo enjoyed an easy 41 win at home to a Valencia side that is in increasing danger of relegation on Saturday The game ended with Hugo Alvarez netting Celtas fourth goal with Valencia goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala pulling a hamstring muscle and needing to be replaced in goal by midfielder PepeluAlthough Celta had time to look for a fifth goal Celta captain Aspas told his teammates not to shoot at the goal in the remaining minutes to avoid rubbing salt into the wounds of a beaten rival with the points already safeA sporting gesture perhaps not all players would have considered and one that should be applauded IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-four-things-we-learned-in-spains-matchday-18-657237.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 01:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/man-city-defender-to-undergo-surgery-for-tibial-fracture-in-his-right-leg-657271.html Manchester Jan 6 Manchester City defender Josko Gvardiol will undergo surgery later this week after breaking his shinbone in Sundays 11 draw with Chelsea the Premier League club said The 23yearold Croatia international was forced off after 51 minutes at Stamford Bridge Fellow centerback Ruben Dias also withdrew through injury around half an hour laterManchester City FC can confirm that Josko Gvardiol has suffered a tibial fracture to his right leg The defender will have surgery later this week and assessment remains ongoing to ascertain the full extent of the injury and expected prognosis the clubs statement readAn already depleted defence was dealt further blows when Gvardiol had to be helped off the pitch after an awkward collision on the halfway line early in the secondhalf And 10 minutes from the end of normal time our other regular centrehalf Dias was forced off with the game on a knifeedgeThis is a hard moment but it will never define me I know who I am and where I come from Ill fight every day to return stronger I will rise again better than ever Gvardiol wrote on InstagramTo address its mounting injury concerns City has recalled academy graduate Max Alleyne from his loan spell at Championship side Watford The 20yearold could be included in the squad for Wednesdays league clash against BrightonAfter the game on Sunday when pressed if Dias had suffered a muscle problem Pep Guardiola responded âYes it looks like it I didnât speak with the doctor but if Ruben is out it is because he felt something Of course we have a lot of injuries John Stones is missing for many months Ruben will be out and Josko will be outâAlways we know with Nathan that he cannot play regularly After what happened last season if we stay strong we will find a solution and the spirit will be there If the spirit is there we will be thereâThe draw with Chelsea means Man City are undefeated in its last 10 matches across all competitions with eight wins and two draws and saw them move back up to second place in the table but they sit six points behind leagueleaders Arsenal IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/man-city-defender-to-undergo-surgery-for-tibial-fracture-in-his-right-leg-657271.html Tue, 06 Jan 2026 15:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/manchester-united-sack-head-coach-ruben-amorim-657158.html New Delhi Jan 5 Manchester United sacked head coach Ruben Amorim on Monday following a 11 draw with Leeds on Sunday at Elland Road marking the teamâs continued poor form under the Portuguese coach Explayer Darren Fletcher is expected to assume interim charge of the club In their official statement the club explained that the move was made to help the team improve their position in the league standingsâRuben Amorim has departed his role as Head Coach of Manchester United Ruben was appointed in November 2024 and led the team to a UEFA Europa League Final in Bilbao in May With Manchester United sitting sixth in the Premier League the clubâs leadership has reluctantly made the decision that it is the right time to make a change This will give the team the best opportunity of the highest possible Premier League finish The club would like to thank Ruben for his contribution to the club and wishes him well for the futureâ the club saidâDarren Fletcher will take charge of the team against Burnley on Wednesdayâ the statement addedFletcher who played for United from 2002 to 2015 has remained involved with the club in various coaching roles after his retirement Currently he is the head coach of the U18 team he was also part of the firstteam staff under Ole Gunnar SolskjÃr in 2021 During his playing career he contributed to five league titles under Sir Alex Ferguson and was part of the 2008 Champions Leaguewinning squadAmorim a highprofile signing following his successful tenure at Sporting faced challenges in establishing his favoured 3421 formation He stuck with it despite visible alternative optionsAlthough there was some progress this season Amorim rarely demonstrated that his strategic vision was taking hold as Manchester United consistently encountered setbacks Notably they dropped points at home against a Wolves team that had only two points at that stageAmorim delivered a passionate tirade after Sundayâs draw asserting that he is the manager of the Red Devils rather than the head coach even though United officially referred to him as the head coach The Portuguese also appeared to criticise the Old Trafford leadership IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/manchester-united-sack-head-coach-ruben-amorim-657158.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 17:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrid-on-track-atletico-lose-ground-in-la-liga-title-race-657080.html Madrid Jan 5 Young striker Gonzalo Garcia scored a hattrick as Real Madrid kept track of FC Barcelona at the top of La Liga with a comfortable 51 home win over Real Betis Garcia who started due to Kylian Mbappes knee injury opened the scoring with a farpost header in the 20th minute and doubled the lead with a volley early in the second half reports XinhuaRaul Asencio was left unmarked to make it 30 with a header before Cucho Hernandez pulled a goal back for Betis Garcia then completed his hattrick with a backflick and Fran Garcia scored the fifth in injury timeOn the other hand Atletico Madrid dropped two points in the title race after a 11 draw to Real Sociedad whose new coach Pellegrino Matarazzo was making his debutAlexander Sorloth put Atletico ahead after 50 minutes but Takefusa Kubo set up Goncalo Guedes to level just five minutes laterAtletico currently sits fourth in the standings seven points behind Real Madrid and 11 behind BarcelonaLuis Castros reign as new Levante coach got off to a good start as his side notched a 30 away win over SevillaIker Losada put Levante ahead on the stroke of halftime after a sharp exchange of passes Carlos Espis first ever league goal doubled the lead with 13 minutes left to play and Carlos Alvarez sealed the win in stoppage timeReal Oviedo which also looks to have improved under Guillermo Almada played out a 11 draw away to AlavesFederico Vinas put Oviedo ahead in the second half and missed a great chance to double the lead while Lucas Boye made Oviedo pay for the misses when he equalized with a stunning free kick in the 69th minuteGirona climbed out of the bottom three with a 21 win in Mallorca with Viktor Tsygankov and Vladyslav Vanat putting them 20 ahead before Vedat Muriqis late penalty for Mallorca IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrid-on-track-atletico-lose-ground-in-la-liga-title-race-657080.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 14:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/mumbai-city-fc-part-ways-with-spanish-defender-tiri-657147.html Mumbai Jan 5 Mumbai City FC have parted ways with Spanish defender Tiri amid growing uncertainty over the kickoff of the Indian Super League ISL Mumbai City can confirm that the club and Spanish centreback Tiri have mutually parted ways A true professional on and off the pitch Tiriâs journey with the Club has been marked by resilience leadership and unforgettable moments From battling it out on the continental stage in the AFC Champions League to lifting the Indian Super League Cup in the 202324 season his contributions will always hold a special place in our story Thank you Tiri for wearing the badge with pride and giving everything for AamchiCity We wish you the very best in the next chapter of your career Mumai City FC posted on XTiri 34 signed with Mumbai City Football Club for a oneyear extension in June 2025 The 202526 Indian Super League season would have been Tiris tenth seasonthe most for a foreign player in the Indian Super League He is only the second foreign national to have made 150 competitive appearances in the leagueTiris football journey began at Cadiz CF in the lower leagues of Spanish football and continued after joining Atletico Madrids reserve team He signed with Mumbai City for the 202324 season and has made 49 official appearances for them to date and has previously played for Atletico de Kolkata Jamshedpur FC and ATK Mohun BaganEarlier City Football Group CFG divested its shareholding in Mumbai City FC returning the Indian Super League ISL side to full control of its founding owners The 202021 season saw the club make history by winning both the ISL League Winners Shield and the ISL Cup becoming the first team to complete the double in a single seasonThe club won a second Shield in the 202223 season remaining unbeaten throughout the leagues 18 matches a first in the ISL Mumbai City FC also became the first Indian club to win an AFC Champions League match marking a landmark achievement for Indian football on the continental stage IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/mumbai-city-fc-part-ways-with-spanish-defender-tiri-657147.html Mon, 05 Jan 2026 16:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/wtt-youth-contender-2026-syndrela-das-rupam-sardar-clinch-u-17-girls-and-u-17-boys-singles-titles-656923.html Vadodara Jan 3 Indias Syndrela Das and Rupam Sardar registered comfortable victories to clinch the U17 girls and U17 boys singles titles in the WTT Youth Contender 2026 at the SAMA Indoor Sports Complex in Vadodara on Saturday while Divija Paul and Dev Pranav Bhat were crowned the U13 girls and boys champions respectively Syndrela who had won the U19 girls singles title last year ended the dream run of Hansini Mathan 113 911 119 118 in the U17 girls singles final while Rupam Sardar defeated Soham Mukherjee 118 611 115 113 in the boys U17 finalThis is the second year that the WTT Youth Contender is being held in Vadodara and will have competitions from U11 to U19 categories featuring a total of 226 playersIn the U13 category Divija Paul fought back from a 12 deficit to beat Harshitha Nurani 117 711 811 117 115 in the girls single final while Dev Pranav Bhatt took home the boys singles title with a 116 711 117 114 win over Ashvajith MuthukumaranSyndrela who had upset secondseeded Miku Matsushima of Japan in the semifinals began strong and dominated the opening game But Hansini who had upset top seed Divyanshi Bhowmick in the prequarterfinals then managed to find her rhythm and took the second gameHowever it was Syndrelaâs experience that made the difference as she pocketed the next two games despite a close fight to clinch the titleShe will also have a chance to grab the U19 mixed doubles crown on Sunday as she and her partner Sarthak Arya set up a summit clash against top seeds Abhinandh Pradhivadhi and Ananya Muralidharan who lived up to their top billing to set up a U19 mixed doubles summit clash against Sarthak Arya and Syndrela DasIn the semifinals Abhinandh and Ananya defeated Ritvik Gupta and Ahona Ray 911 1412 117 118 while Sarthak and Syndrela ended the inspired run of Sahil Rawat and Hardee Patel 116 1210 511 115Earlier Vivaan Dave and Naisha Rewaskar kept their nerves in a topsyturvy decider that went into extra points to upset top seeds Aditya Das and Ankolika Chakraborty in the U15 mixed doubles semifinalVivaan and Naisha defeated the top seeds 1311 511 117 511 2321 and set up a summit clash against compatriots Reyansh Jalan and Tanishka Kalbhairav who beat Sanjay Jagdish and Myraa Sangelkar 113 1513 117 in the other semifinalVivaan and Naisha had displayed their fighting spirit in the opening game itself when they came back from 58 down saved a game point before winning the opening gameBoth pairs then shared the spoils in the next three games to set up a thrilling decider It looked like Aditya and Ankolika would race away in the decider as they opened up a 40 lead and then had three match points at 107Vivaan and Naisha not only saved those three match points but also kept their nerves to draw level every time their opponents reached a match point before winning four straight points to wrap up the match IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/wtt-youth-contender-2026-syndrela-das-rupam-sardar-clinch-u-17-girls-and-u-17-boys-singles-titles-656923.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 01:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/barcelona-beat-espanyol-for-derby-win-in-la-liga-656975.html Madrid Jan 4 La Liga leader FC Barcelona rode its luck before two late goals from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski assured a 20 win away to local rivals Espanyol Barcelonas other hero was goalkeeper Joan Garcia who joined from Espanyol over the summer and was greeted with boos and whistles every time he touched the ballGarcia made a series of impressive saves to keep Espanyol at bay as the home side looked for a sixth consecutive league win with some aggressive football creating six good chances all of which were frustrated by its former goalkeeper reports XinhuaOlmo put Barcelona ahead in the 86th minute with a curling shot into the top of the net and Lewandowski made the points safe with a smart finish after work from Fermin Lopez in the last minuteVillarreal moved back into third with a 31 away win over ElcheThe visitors quickly took a 20 lead with goals from Alberto Moleiro and Georges Mikautadze and although Martim Neto pulled a goal back after half an hour Elche was unable to find a way back and Alfonso Pedraza sealed three points for Villarreal with seven minutes left to playBorja Iglesias scored twice as Celta Vigo sailed past struggling Valencia 41 at home in Saturdays opening matchPepelus smart shot got Valencia into the game with 20 minutes left but Jones ElAbdellaoui scored a third for Celta in the 83rd minute and Hugo Sotelo netted a fourth in injury time Valencia goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala suffered a muscle injury and was replaced by Pepelu for the closing momentsOsasuna and Athletic Bilbao played out a 11 draw with Ruben Garcias longrange free kick giving Osasuna a deserved firsthalf lead before Gorka Guruzeta leveled with 20 minutes remaining as Athletic improved after the breakOn Friday night Mauro Arambarri headed in a late equalizer as Getafe snatched a 11 draw away to Rayo Vallecano who had led with Jorge de Frutos volley in first half injury time IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/barcelona-beat-espanyol-for-derby-win-in-la-liga-656975.html Sun, 04 Jan 2026 23:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/iwl-2025-26-east-bengal-go-top-of-table-after-drubbing-nita-fa-5-0-656757.html Kalyani Jan 2 Defending champions East Bengal FC rose to the pole position in the Indian Womenâs League 202526 with a 50 win over Nita Football Academy at the Kalyani Stadium in Kalyani West Bengal on Friday What was at least on paper a topofthetable clash turned out to be anything but a tussle of equals on the pitch East Bengalâs familiar scorers Sulanjana Raul 6â² and Soumya Guguloth 42â² netted in the first half before the Ugandan duo of Resty Nanziri 50â² and Fazila Ikwaput 63â² put the game to bed early in the second half Substitute Priyangka Devi Naorem capped off the scoring with a fifth goal in the 88th minuteWith four wins in four East Bengal moved to the summit of the points table Sethu FC who won by an equally handsome margin of 50 against Sesa on Friday are in second place with 10 points from five games Nita FA also have 10 points and have slipped to the third spot trailing Sethu on goal differenceComing off the back of their record 90 win over Sesa East Bengal began the new year just how they ended the previous one Sulanjana Raul opened the scoring in only the sixth minute with a stupendous finish Receiving a cutback from the byline by Resty Nanziri the 18yearold set herself up with a perfect first touch before curling it into the far corner with the inside of her right boot It was the India U20 internationalâs third goal in as many matchesAs is their nature the Moshal Girls were in no mood to sit with a onegoal lead and pushed to extend it They churned out more opportunities in the next few minutesSushmita Lepcha who got a hattrick of assists in the last match saw her cross miss Fazila Ikwaput in the middle before Soumya Guguloth got a faint touch as the ball went out for a goalkick Later Nita goalkeeper Adrija Sarkhel denied Fazila in a oneonone situation after which Resty blazed her shot over on the reboundGradually Nita got themselves together and began to see more of the ball However despite being the leagueâs top scorers before the match with 13 goals Paromita Sitâs side lacked penetration against the defending championsEast Bengal were clinical as ever and were justly rewarded with a second goal three minutes before the break Sitting a bit deeper than usual Fazila slipped a fine through ball for Soumya in the middle The AIFF Womenâs Player of the Year took it at the top of the box before shooting into the bottom corner with her weaker left foot to make it 20East Bengalâs foot remained on the gas in the second half as well Anthony Andrewsâ side scored their third in the 50th minute from a setpiece Sarita Yumnamâs corner a rather tame one fortuitously landed at the feet of Resty The Ugandan made a great turn to evade a crowd of legs and laced a fierce shot into the back of the net as Adrijaâs jump went in vainResty turned provider for the next goal in the 63rd minute playing a brilliant onetwo with her compatriot Fazila Getting on the end of Restyâs cross Fazila saw her initial attempt blocked by Jasoda Munda but was quick to pounce on the rebound from six yards out to score her sixth goal of the campaignFazila aiming to win her third consecutive IWL golden boot almost scored another in the 78th minute when she rattled the crossbar from inside the boxUltimately substitute Priyangka Devi Naorem scored the fifth and final goal in the 88th minute Adrija came out to parry Saritaâs high cross but could only do so towards an unmarked Priyangka who scored with a firsttime shot from 16 yards out IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/iwl-2025-26-east-bengal-go-top-of-table-after-drubbing-nita-fa-5-0-656757.html Sat, 03 Jan 2026 01:09:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-man-city-held-to-goalless-draw-at-sunderland-656668.html Sunderland Jan 2 Manchester City started the new calendar year with a 00 draw at Sunderlandâs Stadium of Light Pep Guardiolaâs side missed their opportunity to move back within two points of the Gunners following the entertaining stalemate The result means City extended its unbeaten run in the Premier League to seven matches and now sit four points behind leaders Arsenal at the halfway point of the campaignBernardo Silva thought heâd opened the scoring just five minutes in when he touched home a corner flicked on by Erling Haaland but the captain was narrowly offsideSunderland grew into the game from there but neither side truly looked like beating the goalkeepers in front of them before the breakThe start of the second half brought with it an uplifting moment for City fans everywhere as Rodri took to the pitch for the first time since a brief substitute appearance in early NovemberThe Spaniard started a move barely a minute into his return that brought Citys best chance yet but Savinho cleared the bar with his attempt from Rayan Cherkiâs low crossAs the hour mark passed Roefs again refused to yield when sub Josko Gvardiol ghosted into the box and glanced a header on targetJeremy Doku and Phil Foden then came even closer only for brave defensive heads to block their goalbound shotsGvardiol now spending more time in the Sunderland box than his own half then somehow flicked a cross onto the outside of the post from all of 12 yardsCity threw everything at the hosts in the closing stages but couldnât force a winner in a typical Premier League battleAfter the match Man City manager Pep Guardiola sais Good Take the point The second half was excellent We missed We could not score in the sixyard box How many times were we in the sixyard box against the keeper and could not convert Of course the threat they have they are really good IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-man-city-held-to-goalless-draw-at-sunderland-656668.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 23:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/2024-25-season-was-the-best-man-city-ever-had-as-a-team-guardiola-656513.html Sunderland Jan 1 Pep Guardiola has described Manchester Citys 202425 campaign as one of the standout seasons after his team showed mental and physical fortitude to recover from an injuryladen term and flourish when it mattered most Guardiola has led City to 18 major trophies over his nearly 10 years in charge including six Premier League titles in eight seasons Last season City finished third in the Premier League and therefore qualified for the Champions League once againLast season what we did and overcame was one of the best seasons that we have had as a team All the guys that were there and the staff backroom staff it was arguably one of the best we have had Itâs how you overcome the problems that define the seasons Guardiola was quoted by the Manchester City websiteAnd from the perspective now every time when I reflect what happened last season I am more proud than ever of what we have done as a club and how we handled the bad bad situations how the hierarchy Khaldoon the CEO how incredible the messages of support of âletâs go letâs go letâs goâ Just in this incredible club it can happen he addedCity will usher in 2026 with a preseason trip to the Stadium of Light marking the start of an intense month that will see Guardiolaâs side face nine games across all competitionsBetween five key Premier League fixtures City also wrap up our initial Champions League phase fixtures against BodoGlimt and Galatasaray face a Carabao Cup semifinal firstleg trip to Newcastle and open our FA Cup campaign at home against ExeterComing off an eightmatch winning run and sitting second in the Premier League City will play Sunderland on Friday Guardiola believes that if they can maintain that impressive momentum into the New Year it could prove hugely significant for the season as a wholeâThis month is important because in November and December we were really good This month will define Champions League qualification and which position we are in and in the Premier League we will try and be close to the top of the league said Guardiola IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/2024-25-season-was-the-best-man-city-ever-had-as-a-team-guardiola-656513.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 00:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-chelsea-part-ways-with-manager-enzo-maresca-656578.html London Jan 1 Former champion Chelsea have officially parted ways with manager Enzo Maresca following a disappointing run in the Premier League 202526 with the West London club managing just one win from their last seven matches The sixtime Premier League winners recently let another victory slip through their fingers at Stamford Bridge drawing 22 with the Cherries They are now placed fifth in the Premier League with 30 points and will face Manchester City on Sunday Chelsea is also currently 13th in the UEFA Champions League group stageChelsea Football Club and Head Coach Enzo Maresca have parted company During his time at the club Enzo led the team to success in the UEFA Conference League and the FIFA Club World Cup Those achievements will remain an important part of the clubâs recent history and we thank him for his contributions to the club the statement from Chelsea readWith key objectives still to play for across four competitions including qualification for Champions League football Enzo and the club believe a change gives the team the best chance of getting the season back on track We wish Enzo well for the future it addedEnzo Maresca was appointed Chelsea manager in July 2024 Under his stint the West London club played 92 matches and he recorded a strong tally of 55 wins On May 28 2025 Maresca won his first trophy as Chelsea manager by lifting the UEFA Conference League after beating Real Betis 41 in the final which meant Chelsea became the only team to win all three of the current main UEFA competitionsAfter that in July 2025 he guided his team to victory in the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup the first edition of the expanded competition with a 30 win over the recently crowned Champions League winners Paris SaintGermain in the finalThis meant that he won two titles in his first year as manager of the club However the results were different in the second year and this affected his relationship with the fans and the Chelsea board which finally led to his exit 3 years before his contract which was supposed to end in 2029 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-chelsea-part-ways-with-manager-enzo-maresca-656578.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 06:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/norwich-city-overcome-queens-park-rangers-start-2026-with-victory-in-championship-656620.html Norwich Jan 1 Norwich City began 2026 with a win claiming a 21 victory away to Queens Park Rangers on New Years Day in the Championship Josh Sargent scored the opening goal soon after the start of the second half before Jovon Makama doubled the lead in the sixth minute of added time before Amadou Mbengue reduced the margin in the 9th minute after regulation time in a frantic finish to the match Philippe Clement shuffled the pack from the defeat at home to Watford with Josà Cordoba Ben Chrisene and Matej JurÃsek coming in to start at Loftus RoadIt took until the 15th minute for the first chance to be registered as Steve Cook glanced a header narrowly wide of Vladan Kovacevics post for the hosts Kovacevic was called into action on the halfhour mark saving well with his legs after an effort from Rumarn Burrell Jurasek came close to opening the scoring for the Canaries but his shot was palmed out for a corner by Paul NardiAfter a quiet first half it was the perfect start to the second half as Norwich went ahead a minute after the restart Jurasek beat his man and crossed to Josh Sargent who headed in Pelle Mattson wasnt too far away from adding a second for the Canaries with the Dane controlling well and striking a volley that was just over Nardis crossbarJacob Wright forced a save out of Nardi before Sargent could only find the sidenetting with the followup attempt Wright then nearly caught Nardi out with a longrange effort but the QPR goalkeeper managed to get back in time to deny the midfielderJovon Makama would secure the points for Norwich firing beyond Nardi in the sixth minute of injury time QPR scored a late consolation as Amadou Mbengue scored moments later The Canaries are back in action on Sunday afternoon as they welcome Stoke City to Carrow Road in their first home fixture of 2026 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/norwich-city-overcome-queens-park-rangers-start-2026-with-victory-in-championship-656620.html Fri, 02 Jan 2026 10:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-wolves-end-run-of-11-consecutive-losses-after-1-1-draw-with-man-utd-656385.html Manchester Dec 31 Wolverhampton Wanderers halted a run of 11 straight Premier League defeats with a hardearned 11 draw against Manchester United Ladislav Krejci cancelled out Joshua Zirkzeeâs effort as the leagueâs bottom side left Old Trafford with a deserved share of the spoilsZirkzeeâs first home goal in the top flight for over a year opened the scoring after 27 minutes with his deflected strike finding the net via KrejciHowever the Wolves defender made amends at the other end of the pitch as a fine header on the cusp of halftime proved enough to stop the rot for Rob Edwardsâ side Premier League reportsMan Utd who had Patrick Dorguâs lastgasp strike ruled out for offside end 2025 in sixth place after missing the chance to move level on points with Liverpool in fourth Wolves remain rooted to the foot of the table now on three points for the seasonElsewhere Newcastle United Newcastle United rounded off 2025 on a positive note as they returned to winning ways in the Premier League and added to Burnleys woes with a 31 victory at Turf MoorJoelintons rapid opener preceded Yoane Wissa â on his first league start for the Magpies â tapping home his maiden topflight goal for Newcastle before Josh Laurent halved the deficit with a fine 23rdminute volleyLaurent was denied another goal by the woodwork as Burnley dominated the second half before Bruno Guimaraes profited from Martin Dubravkas error to seal all three points for Newcastle in the third minute of stoppage timeThe defeat left Burnley in 19th six points adrift of 17thplaced Nottingham Forest while Newcastles second away win of the season moved them up to 10thAfter the win Newcastle coach Eddie Howe said We needed to win because we knew we were under pressure I thought the lads responded really well it was a really fast start We scored some really good goals and then us being us at this present time we made it difficult for ourselves The second half was nervy to a point But overall I thought we showed real character and resilience in the second half to get over the line IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-wolves-end-run-of-11-consecutive-losses-after-1-1-draw-with-man-utd-656385.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 09:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-arsenal-thrash-villa-to-end-year-5-points-clear-at-the-top-656387.html London Dec 31 Arsenal ended the year on top of the Premier League table after an outstanding secondhalf showing saw the Gunners cruise past thirdplaced Aston Villa 41 This was the Gunners fourth straight victory as they ended Villas 11match winning run in all competitionsVilla showed enough in the first half to suggest they could achieve a clubrecord 12th straight win in all competitions but the Gunners turned on the style to race four goals ahead with a scintillating secondhalf performanceIn his first start since early November Gabriel Magalhaes profited from some poor goalkeeping from Emiliano Martinez to open the scoring three minutes into the second half Premier League reportsMartin Zubimendi then tucked home in the 52nd minute before Leandro Trossard and Gabriel Jesus both added sublime curling finishesOllie Watkins scored a stoppagetime consolation goal for Villa who are now six points adrift of Arsenal Secondplaced Manchester City could move back to within two points of the leaders when they visit Sunderland on New Years DayOn the other hand West Ham United ended a run of three successive losses with a pulsating 22 draw against Brighton amp Hove AlbionAlthough Nuno Espirito Santoâs side closed the gap on 17thplaced Nottingham Forest to four points West Ham were twice pegged back by their visitors in a dramatic gameJarrod Bowen slotted the home side into a 10thminute lead but their advantage was shortlived as Danny Welbeck sent Alphonse Areola the wrong way with a clinical penaltyJust moments later Welbeck chipped his second penalty of the game onto the crossbar That miss was punished in the fourth minute of stoppage time when Lucas Paqueta converted the matchs third spotkick after Lewis Dunk was penalised for handballHowever Areolaâs error from a corner then gifted Brighton an equaliser as Joel Veltman pounced from close range The 22 draw means the Hammers end 2025 in the relegation zone in 18th place while Brighton dropped to 14th after failing to win any of their December matches IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-arsenal-thrash-villa-to-end-year-5-points-clear-at-the-top-656387.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 09:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-chelsea-held-by-bournemouth-2-2-656392.html London Dec 31 Chelsea and AFC Bournemouth played out an enthralling 22 draw at Stamford Bridge with all four goals being scored inside the opening 27 minutes A draw meant Chelsea missed the chance to leapfrog Liverpool into fourth place while Bournemouth remain 15th after their winless league run was extended to 10 matches despite putting in an impressive performance This was the Cherries fourth draw in their last five matchesThe action all came in the first 45 minutes during a first half played at a furious pace with plenty of chances at both ends of the pitchIt was the visitors who struck first when David Brooks scrambled in at the second attempt from a long throwin but Chelsea soon levelled it up Estevao Willian was clipped in the box by Antoine Semenyo and Cole Palmer slotted in from the penalty spotChelsea took the lead when Enzo Fernandez fired a brilliant finish into the top corner only to see parity restored by Justin Kluivert from another Bournemouth long throw into our areaIt was Chelsea who were pushing hardest for a winning goal in the second half as the Cherries seemed to run out of gas after those early exertions but despite those efforts there would be no further goals as the points were sharedIn another match James Garner scored one and set up another as a depleted Everton side defied the odds to beat Nottingham Forest 20Garner who previously spent time on loan at Forest struck with an early opener before then turning provider in the 79th minute as he set up Thierno Barry to score his second Everton goalForest toiled to no avail with Igor Jesus Morgan GibbsWhite and Dilane Bakwa going close but Sean Dycheâs team have now lost three straight Premier League games and sit just four points above the relegation zoneWhile Forest remain 17th Everton have moved up to eighth after snapping a threegame winless streak IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-chelsea-held-by-bournemouth-2-2-656392.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 10:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/odisha-fc-ceo-raj-athwal-steps-down-days-after-head-coach-sergio-loberas-exit-656342.html New Delhi Dec 30 Top domestic football club Odisha FC is undergoing a period of transition at the top with CEO Raj Athwal stepping down from his role just four days after the club mutually parted ways with head coach Sergio Lobera The club confirmed Athwalâs departure in an official statement noting that the decision was communicated by the CEO and accepted by the managementâOdisha FC can confirm that CEO Raj Athwal has informed the club management of his decision to move on and the club has accepted the same The club would like to thank Raj for his leadership professionalism and contributions during his tenure with the clubUnder his stewardship Odisha FC secured its firstever silverware with the Super Cup triumph followed by the Indian Womenâs League 202324 and achieved qualification for the AFC competition knockout stages by both the menâs amp womenâs teams of Odisha FCâ the statement shared on X readThe club also outlined interim administrative arrangements as it navigates the transition periodâAs we move forward and await further clarity regarding the league our General Manager Ravi Khedar will serve as the primary Point of Contact POC for all club communications and matters during this transition periodâ the statement addedReacting to Athwalâs exit club owner Rohan Sharma expressed his appreciation for the outgoing CEOâs contributions over the past five yearsâHaving known and worked with Raj for 5 years Iâm sad to see him go I know he will always be a wellwisher for the club He knows heâs always welcome back and I wish him nothing but the best for him and his familyâ Sharma saidAthwalâs departure comes shortly after Odisha FC announced the end of their association with head coach Lobera on December 26 with both parties agreeing to part waysâOdisha FC and Head Coach Sergio Lobera have mutually agreed to part ways The Club would like to thank Coach Sergio for his dedication professionalism and contributions during his tenure with the Club We wish Sergio the very best for his future endeavours The club is waiting for clarity on the league and will make an announcement regarding the new head coach accordinglyâ the club had stated IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/odisha-fc-ceo-raj-athwal-steps-down-days-after-head-coach-sergio-loberas-exit-656342.html Wed, 31 Dec 2025 01:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/legends-90-league-unveil-season-four-in-dubai-656176.html Dubai Dec 29 Building on the success of its first three seasons the Legends 90 League L90 officially unveiled season four at a grand launch ceremony held on Monday at ShangriLa Dubai The launch event was graced by renowned international cricketing stars Harbhajan Singh JP Duminy and James Vince along with league officials team representatives partners and members of the media A key highlight of the event was the unveiling of the official team jerseys and the Legends 90 League season 4 trophy symbolising the leagueâs growing stature and its continued commitment to delivering worldclass cricketing entertainment to fans across the globeSharing his thoughts at the launch former Indian spinner and World Cup winner Harbhajan Singh said âThe Legends 90 League has carved out a unique space in world cricket by bringing together iconic players in an exciting and innovative format Itâs encouraging to see how the league has grown over the years and Season 4 promises to be even bigger and better for fansâFormer South Africa allrounder JP Duminy highlighted the competitive appeal of the format saying What makes Legends 90 League special is the intensity packed into a short format The 90ball concept keeps the game fast aggressive and entertaining while still allowing experienced players to showcase their skills at the highest levelEchoing similar sentiments England batter James Vince added This league strikes a great balance between nostalgia and modern cricket Fans get to see legendary names alongside current stars and the energy around Legends 90 League is something truly excitingOver the past three seasons the Legends 90 League has featured some of the biggest names in world cricket including Yuvraj Singh Shikhar Dhawan Suresh Raina and Chris Gayle captivating audiences with highquality performances and competitive matchesSpeaking on the occasion Shivain Sharma Director of the Legends 90 League said âOver the last three seasons our focus has been on building a credible competitive and fanfirst cricketing property Legends 90 League was conceived to celebrate the legacy of the game while presenting it in a modern highenergy format Season 4 marks an important step in that journey as we continue to strengthen the leagueâs onfield quality global appeal and longterm visionâThe fourth season of the Legends 90 League is scheduled to be played in March 2026 and will once again bring together legendary international cricketers and modern stars in its fastpaced 90ball format promising highintensity action and a memorable experience for cricket fans worldwide IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/legends-90-league-unveil-season-four-in-dubai-656176.html Tue, 30 Dec 2025 00:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/i-will-reach-the-number-for-sure-ronaldo-targets-1000-goals-before-retirement-656112.html New Delhi Dec 29 Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo has said he will continue playing until he scores his 1000th career goal after winning the Best Middle East Player Award at the Globe Soccer Awards in Dubai Ronaldo who has scored 956 goals for club and country is Portugalâs alltime leading scorer with 143 goals and Real Madridâs top scorer with 450 He stands alone as the only player to net over 100 goals for four different clubs Manchester United Real Madrid Juventus and AlNassrThe star forward continues to rewrite scoring milestones at Al Nassr scoring twice in their 30 win over Al Akhdoud He has already found the back of the net 12 times in the Saudi Pro League this season with Portuguese compatriot Felix one aheadIts hard to continue playing but I am motivated My passion is high and I want to continue It doesnt matter where I play whether in the Middle East or Europe I always enjoy playing football and I want to keep goingYou know what my goal is I want to win trophies and I want to reach that number 1000 goals that you all know I will reach the number for sure if no injuries Ronaldo saidThe 40yearold forward who joined AlNassr in 2022 signed a new twoyear deal with the Saudi Arabian club last July and has a record of 112 goals in 125 appearances for the Saudi Arabian clubLast month the Portuguese superstar said that next years World Cup would be his last saying he would retire from football in one or two yearsIn October Ronaldo became the outright leading marksman in World Cup qualifying history extending his record as the top scorer in World Cup Qualifiers history with 41 goals IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/i-will-reach-the-number-for-sure-ronaldo-targets-1000-goals-before-retirement-656112.html Mon, 29 Dec 2025 17:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/villa-beat-chelsea-to-equal-club-record-with-11th-straight-win-655880.html London Dec 28 Ollie Watkins stepped off the bench to help Aston Villa complete a comeback victory against Chelsea in the Premier League at Stamford Bridge equalling a club record of 11 consecutive wins in the process The visitors were second best in the first half trailing to a Joao Pedro goal at the break but the introduction of Watkins sparked Villa into life offensively and he equalised shortly before the hour markSeveral chances came and went for the transformed Villans before Watkins buried a header from Youri Tielemansâ corner to send the travelling support wild with seven minutes leftThe result tied the clubâs record for consecutive wins which was set in 1897 and achieved again in 1914 keeping Unai Emeryâs team just three points off the top of the table heading into a game against pacesetters Arsenal on Tuesday The victory moves thirdplace Villa back within three points of Premier League leaders Arsenal who they face next in a huge clash at Emirates Stadium on Tuesday while Chelsea are now three points adrift of the top fourAfter the win Villa manager Unai Emery said We kept the same game plan we had at the first half but in the first half they were playing fantastic They were dominating We couldnt get the ball easily We were defending low we were defending well Only one corner and they scored But we needed to be passionate and try to keep being resilient and we were speaking after the first half in the dressing roomMeanwhile Chelsea boss Enzo Maresca said I think for one hour until we conceded we dominated the game We were very good Unfortunately after that the dynamic of the game changed a little bit I think by the time they scored to make it 11 we should have scored two or three more IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/villa-beat-chelsea-to-equal-club-record-with-11th-straight-win-655880.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 09:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-transfer-watch-flamengo-midfielder-carrascal-linked-with-marseille-move-655945.html Rio de Janeiro Dec 28 Colombian international midfielder Jorge Carrascal could leave top Brazilian football club Flamengo to join Frances Marseille in Europes January transfer window according to media reports The French Ligue 1 side has submitted an initial bid of 15 million euros for the 27yearold Carrascal Brazilian news outlet Esporte News Mundo reported on Sunday It added that Flamengo is seeking at least 20 million euros to release the playmaker who is contracted to the Rio de Janeiro club until June 2029Carrascal has made 24 appearances for Flamengo since his August arrival from Dynamo Moscow scoring three goals and providing five assists His performances helped Flamengo win this years Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Serie A titles In November he was recalled to Colombias national squad for friendlies against New Zealand and Australia coming off the bench in both matchesMeanwhile Atletico Mineiro has submitted an offer to sign Fenerbahce and Brazil international midfielder Fred according to media reports in BrazilThe 32yearold is contracted to the Turkish club until June 2027 but is open to a return to his homeland Globo Esporte reportedIt added that Atletico sporting director Paulo Bracks had contacted Freds representatives to discuss financial detailsFred has made 104 appearances for Fenerbahce scoring nine goals and providing 18 assists since his August 2023 move from Manchester United He was born in Belo Horizonte and represented Atletico Mineiros youth teams until the age of 16Also Botafogo captain Marlon Freitas could leave the club to join Brazilian Serie A rival Palmeiras as per local media reportsNegotiations are at an early stage with Palmeiras willing to pay six million US dollars for the 30yearold holding midfielder Gazeta Esportiva said The report added that Palmeiras coach Abel Ferreira is seeking to strengthen his midfield following the departure of Anibal Moreno to River PlateFreitas has made 186 appearances for Botafogo in all competitions since joining from Atletico Goianiense in 2023 He captained the side to the Copa Libertadores and Brazilian Serie A titles last yearPalmeiras finished second in this seasons Brazilian Serie A behind Flamengo and lost the Copa Libertadores final to the same opponent Botafogo ended the league campaign in sixth place and was eliminated from the Libertadores in the round of 16 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-transfer-watch-flamengo-midfielder-carrascal-linked-with-marseille-move-655945.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 17:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-transfer-watch-manchester-citys-hefty-price-tag-for-nathan-ake-leaves-barca-in-a-fix-655951.html Manchester Dec 28 Defending La Liga champions FC Barcelona have suffered a setback in their attempts to sign Nathan Ake to bolster their defence as former English champions Manchester City have demanded a hefty transfer fee to let go of the Dutch defender Barcelona have faced many issues with their backline in the first half of the season and have launched an allout attempt to get defensive reinforcements in the January transfer window In that respect Ake has emerged as the right option for the Spanish giants as he is leftfooted comfortable as a centreback and capable of filling in at leftback when required an attribute that adds tactical flexibilityDespite these attributes Ake has not been able to nail down a starting role under Pep Guardiola even though his performances with the Netherlands show he can operate at a high international levelThe Dutch international is open to leaving Manchester City and the idea of playing for Barca was particularly appealing to him For Barcelona this combination of experience and versatility made him an attractive name in a market with limited options claimed a report from SPORT on SundayWith Ake looking for more playing time several Premier League clubs have also enquired about him pushing his price up and complicating any potential dealManchester City would be willing to let him leave but only if an offer exceeds â25 million With the defenderâs contract running until 2027 City see this as the ideal moment to secure a definitive sale rather than wait and risk losing leverage the report claimedBut that is where Barcelonas problems start They are currently operating under strict financial controls and uncertainty around their salary cap and therefore committing to a deal of that size in January is extremely difficultThe report also claimed that although Barcelona feel strengthening the defence is essential internally the club management is not clear about how they can go about meeting the financial requirementsThis has further complicated Barcelonas search for a defender and now they are likely to look elsewhere for shortterm solutions to reinforce their backline IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-transfer-watch-manchester-citys-hefty-price-tag-for-nathan-ake-leaves-barca-in-a-fix-655951.html Sun, 28 Dec 2025 18:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-manchester-united-beats-newcastle-to-move-up-to-fifth-655821.html London Dec 27 A depleted Manchester United climbed back into the Premier Leagues top five with a 10 win over Newcastle on Saturday at Old Trafford sealed by Patrick Dorgus stunning volley Dorgu scored his first goal wearing Manchester United colors after meeting a loose ball on the edge of the area in the 24th minute leaving goalkeeper Aaron Ramsdale with no chance The hosts hit the woodwork through Benjamin Sesko and went close again through Diogo Dalot after the breakMissing seven players including captain Bruno Fernandes Manchester United also lost Mason Mount at halftime but held firm against a Newcastle side that enjoyed 66 percent possessionThe visitors came close when Lewis Hall struck the underside of the crossbar but were unable to find an equalizer Newcastle is in 11th place with 23 points while the host has 29 points after 18 games The remaining games of the week are scheduled for Saturday and SundayDorgu scored the first of his United goals in the 24thminute volley because Diogo Dalotâs long throw was only slightly cleared The ball fell to the Dane at 15 yards and he blasted it into the bottom left corner of the goal Unfortunately for Newcastle despite their efforts late in the match they were unable to find an equaliser against a squad missing several vital players such as injured captain Bruno Fernandes and two African Cup of Nations members Bryan Mbeumo and Amad DialloThe solitary match this year reflects the fewest number of topflight fixtures on Boxing Day in 43 years a clear departure from the tradition of providing fans with a full schedule of festive matches IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-manchester-united-beats-newcastle-to-move-up-to-fifth-655821.html Sat, 27 Dec 2025 10:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/cfg-group-exits-mumbai-city-fc-shareholding-amid-isl-unceratinity-655762.html New Delhi Dec 26 City Football Group CFG has divested its shareholding in Mumbai City FC returning the Indian Super League ISL side to full control of its founding owners Mumbai City FC the Club can confirm that City Football Group Limited CFG has divested its shareholding in the Club The founding owners will assume full control of the organisation moving forwardâ the club said in a statement posted on XCFGâs exit comes at a precarious moment for Indian football with the future of the ISL itself clouded by uncertainty The group said its decision followed âa comprehensive commercial review and in light of the ongoing uncertainty surrounding the future of the Indian Super League ISLâ It added that the move reflected CFGâs âdisciplined and strategic approach â ensuring its focus remains on areas where it can have the greatest longterm impactâThe purchase of a 65 share of Mumbai City FC in November 2019 by the Manchester Cityowning conglomerate was a watershed moment in ambition professionalism and globalising the club The club experienced the greatest success during its sixyear relationship with CFGâSince 2019 CFG and Mumbai City FC have reached new heights winning two ISL League Winnersâ Shields and two ISL Cup titles strengthening the Clubs football operations and making meaningful contributions to the growth of the game in Indiaâ the statement readBy using a data driven recruitment model and developing the professional manager of their football operations CFG had an immediate impact on Mumbai City FC The 202021 season saw the club make history by winning both the ISL League Winners Shield and the ISL Cup making them the first team to ever complete the double in one seasonThe club won a second Shield in the 202223 season remaining unbeaten during the leagues 18match duration a first in the ISL Mumbai City FC also became the first Indian club to win an AFC Champions League match marking a landmark achievement for Indian football on the continental stageCFG said it remained âproud of the achievementsâ and âdeeply appreciative of everyone connected to Mumbai City FC â from players and coaches to staff fans and partnersâ while adding that it âlooks forward to continuing its relationships and partnerships in India in the years aheadâNow with CFG leaving Mumbai City FC the club has been taken back under the full ownership of Ranbir Kapoor film actor from India and Bimal Parekh a business tycoon The news remains bad for Indian football as it further impacts the ISL with no confirmed calendar year for play no resolved commercial contracts between teams in the league and currently no outcome from its ongoing governance impasseThe exit of CFG is also a negative indicator of the leagues potential financial growth decreasing the chances of other investors or sponsors wanting to support the league going forward According to reports the AIFF All India Football Federation has formally rejected everything that was proposed by both ISL and ILeague teams regarding clubled ownership or operations thus causing more of a rift between the clubs and the federation IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/cfg-group-exits-mumbai-city-fc-shareholding-amid-isl-unceratinity-655762.html Fri, 26 Dec 2025 14:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/afc-champions-league-ii-fc-goa-fc-istiklol-face-off-in-final-asian-night-in-fatorda-655414.html Margao Dec 23 FC Goa return to the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium at Fatorda for one final continental night in 2025 as they host Tajikistanâs FC Istiklol in their concluding Group D fixture of the AFC Champions League Two in Margao on Tuesday With qualification no longer in reach the encounter represents FC Goaâs last opportunity to put points on the board and close their Asian campaign with pride purpose and a performance worthy of their supportersFor the Gaurs continental nights at Fatorda carry a special resonance Memories of their last AFC Champions League appearance at home remain fresh when FC Goa put up a fearless fight against a starstudded Al Nassr side featuring some of world footballâs biggest namesOn that historic night Goa not only matched their illustrious opponents for long spells but also made history when Brison Fernandes scored Indiaâs firstever goal in the AFC Champions League That performance built on belief and bravery remains a defining reference point one the Gaurs will look to draw inspiration from as they chase their first points of the ACL Two campaignFC Istiklol arrive in India not just having already tasted silverware this season wrapping up their domestic league campaign as champions for a recordbreaking 12th consecutive season but also on the back of a 20 win in the reverse fixture in Dushanbe earlier in the group stage something the side will look heavily to draw inspiration from as they remain in the mix for qualification to the knockout stagesOn the other side FC Goa come into this fixture riding a wave of confidence after lifting the Super Cup for the second consecutive year just two weeks ago That triumph came at the very same Fatorda Stadium where the Gaurs edged past East Bengal in a tense final decided by penalties further strengthening their belief and bond with home support ahead of this crucial encounterHead coach Manolo MÃrquezâs side will be keen to channel that winning momentum into their final continental outing While the Asian campaign has tested them the objective is clear compete with intensity play with freedom and give the Fatorda faithful a performance to rememberGoalkeeper Lara summed up the squadâs mindset ahead of the clash âItâs been a difficult journey with the gaps between games and the uncertainty over the future but we are a strong group and we are ready to continue to represent India together in this competitionâWith pride on the line trophies recently secured on both sides and memories of past continental heroics to inspire them FC Goa vs FC Istiklol promises a compelling finale to group stage one where the Gaurs will be determined to finish their Asian journey on a high under the Fatorda lights IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/afc-champions-league-ii-fc-goa-fc-istiklol-face-off-in-final-asian-night-in-fatorda-655414.html Wed, 24 Dec 2025 00:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-four-things-we-learned-in-spains-matchday-17-655223.html Madrid Dec 22 Spanish giants FC Barcelona won 20 against Villarreal on Sunday to ensure they go into the New Year with a fourpoint lead over a Real Madrid side that remains in crisis Barcelona are at the top of the standings with 46 points from 15 wins in 18 matches They have one draw and two defeats so far Real Madrid are in second spot with 42 points from 13 wins three draws and two defeats in 18 matches while Atletico Madrid are in third spot with 37 points from 11 wins four draws and three defeats in 18 matchesVillarreal are fourth with 35 points from 16 matches while Espanyol are fifth with 30 points from 16 gamesHere are some things we learned in La Liga this weekendGame looks to be up for AlonsoReal Madrid may have won 20 at home to Sevilla but the atmosphere in the Santiago Bernabeu seemed more like a defeat than a home win with the fans booing and whistling players at key moments in the game reports XinhuaAlthough a Jude Bellingham strike and another Kylian Mbappe penalty gave Madrid the win Sevilla missed several giltedged chances while Thibaut Courtois was vital for the home side and things could have been different if the referee had sent off Rodrygo for a second yellow card with the score 10Alonso might have expected a win to make his life easier but the fans in the Bernabeu and the reporters in the press room afterwards made it clear that isnt the case and unless his side wins the Spanish Supercup in early January its hard to see him surviving if he even lasts that longAlonso takes his revengeIf Xabi Alonso is sacked by Real Madrid in the near future he will leave after taking his revenge against Vinicius who has apparently been one of the players most against him in the dressing roomNobody has forgotten Vinicius angry reaction when Alonso subbed him out of the Clasico against FC Barcelona in October and the two clearly have a bad relationshipVinicius was in poor form against Sevilla and was booed by the fans several times during the match so when Alonso subbed him off in the 83rd minute he knew the Brazilian would leave the pitch to a chorus of boos and whistles something Vinicius clearly didnt like as he changed his profile picture on social media from one of him wearing a Real Madrid shirt to one with a Brazil shirt onVillarreal makes it easy for BarcelonaAfter starting the weekend in third place in the table Villarreal could have been expected to make life difficult for Barcelona in its Estadio de la Ceramica but errors in the first half effectively ended its chances of a win that would have kept the club in the title raceSanti Comesanas early foul on Raphinha allowed the Brazilian to put Barcelona ahead from the penalty spot and steady nerves for the visitors while Renato Veiga then showed his inexperience with a bad challenge from behind on Lamine Yamal to leave Villarreal with 10 men Chasing the game against Barcelona with a player less is virtually impossible so it was game over before halftimeElche reaps rewards of staying true to beliefsElche stormed to a 40 win at home to Rayo Vallecano on Sunday to end the year on a high note and confirm that its loyalty to coach Eder Sarabias passing game has brought rewards Hector Fort scored a fine opener before going off injured while Elches three remaining goals were all the fruits of passing its way through an open Rayo defenseElche recently had a sevengame winless run that may have caused some doubts about its style of play but they have kept the faith and two wins in three games leave the club ninth with 22 points an excellent haul for a promoted side IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-four-things-we-learned-in-spains-matchday-17-655223.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 00:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/neres-inspires-napoli-to-win-third-italian-super-cup-title-655259.html Riyadh Dec 23 David Neres scored twice as Napoli beat Bologna 20 to win the Italian Super Cup It is the third Super Cup title in the clubâs history with Antonio Conte restoring the ScudettoSuper Cup double following in the footsteps of the 1990 side Napoli under Alberto Bigon featuring Diego MaradonaNapoli broke the deadlock in the 39th minute when Neres controlled a throwin outside the area and curled a shot into the top cornerThe Partenopei doubled their lead around the hour mark as Neres won the ball inside Bolognas box and finished from a tight angle past the onrushing goalkeeperAfter the 20 win over Milan in the semifinal the Azzurri repeated the same scoreline in the showpiece event in Riyadh The star of the night was David Neres who broke the deadlock just after the halfhour mark with a curling leftfooted strike into the top cornerAfter the break the Brazilian wrapped up the match first stealing the ball from the Bologna defence and then finishing with a delightful chip as the goalkeeper rushed outNapoli claimed the third Super Cup in the clubâs history and the second of the Aurelio De Laurentiis eraSince 2023 the Supercoppa Italiana has adopted a fourteam format pitting together the reigning Serie A champion the runnerup and the winner and runnerup of the Italian CupNapoli manager Antonio Conte gave his take on the performanc saying We really played a great match and I have to acknowledge that Weâre happy trophies matter and being able to add another one to the cabinet after the Scudetto triumph means weâre on a very good pathâNow weâll celebrate a more peaceful Christmas together with our fans That said weâve got to keep working hard Weâve made progress but weâre not yet at the level we want to reach Itâll take patience and thereâs still a long way to go but weâre certainly aware that weâve got quality and we showed that again tonight both individually and as a teamâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/neres-inspires-napoli-to-win-third-italian-super-cup-title-655259.html Tue, 23 Dec 2025 14:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-arsenal-top-for-christmas-after-narrow-win-haaland-keeps-pressure-on-654914.html London Dec 21 Arsenal will be top of the Premier League at Christmas thanks to a hardfought 10 win away to Everton on Saturday Viktor Gyokeres thumping 27thminute penalty awarded after a handball by Jake OBrien separated the two sides and ensured Arsenal stayed ahead after Manchester City had put Mikel Artetas team under intense pressure earlier in the day reports XinhuaErling Haaland was on target twice as Manchester City breezed past West Ham United 30 The Norwegian opened the scoring in the fifth minute set up Tijjani Reijnders to double the lead before halftime and then netted his second in the 69th minuteNewcastle United will be frustrated to have taken only a point at home to Chelsea after Nick Woltemade gave them a 20 lead after just 20 minutes The big striker smashed home a rebound after four minutes and then got a touch on Anthony Gordons ball in the sixyard box as Newcastle took controlChelsea had to improve after the break and did so with Reece James scoring a free kick before Joao Pedro leveled after knocking on a long ball from the back and then racing through to scoreAlexander Isak and Hugo Ekitike both scored as Liverpool won 21 away to Tottenham who was reduced to 10 men after a 33rdminute red card for Xavi SimonsRicharlison pulled a goal back for Spurs in the 83rd minute but the hosts finished with nine men after Cristian Romero was sent off in injury timeThe bad news for Liverpool was an injury to Isak which will probably rule him out over Christmas with Mohamed Salah already away at the Africa Cup of NationsSunderland survived the loss of five players to the Africa Cup of Nations with a 00 draw away to Brighton while Bournemouth was held to a 11 home draw against Burnley who ended a sevengame losing streak thanks to Armando Brojas 90thminute headerLeeds United crushed Crystal Palace 41 to climb away from the bottom three with two goals from Dominic CalvertLewin along with strikes from Ethan Ampadu and Anton StachBottom side Wolverhampton Wanderers suffered another defeat going down 20 at home to Brentford with two goals from Keane LewisPotter after 63 and 83 minutes improving his sides previously poor away record IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-arsenal-top-for-christmas-after-narrow-win-haaland-keeps-pressure-on-654914.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 11:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/bundesliga-leverkusen-rallies-to-beat-leipzig-3-1-654915.html Berlin Dec 21 Bayer Leverkusen ended the Bundesliga year with an away win on Saturday coming from behind to beat RB Leipzig 31 and climb to third place in the table In a highintensity match Leverkusen started brightly moving the ball with confidence and creating early chances through Patrik Schick and Martin Terrier Leipzig responded on the counter and gradually gained control with Leverkusen goalkeeper Mark Flekken forced into a save to deny Conrad Harder from distance reports XinhuaLeipzig took the lead in the 35th minute after a quick throwin on the right Christoph Baumgartner set up Xaver Schlager who drove across the edge of the box and placed a low shot into the bottom cornerLeverkusen responded quickly as Terrier headed in Arthurs cross to level the score in the 40th minute The visitors completed the turnaround just before the break when Schick finished off a counterattack beating his marker in the area and scoring decisively to give Leverkusen a 21 halftime leadAfter the interval Leipzig applied sustained pressure Harder and Tidiam Gomis both went close and Flekken produced a key oneonone save during the hosts strongest spellAlthough Leipzig dominated possession late on clear chances were limited Its final opportunity came in stoppage time when captain Willi Orbans header failed to test FlekkenLeverkusen sealed the result moments later Substitute Montrell Culbreath broke through on the counter and scored on his Bundesliga debut with the goal confirmed after a lengthy VAR reviewThe win moves Leverkusen to 29 points from 15 matches lifting it above Leipzig on goal difference into third place Leipzig drops to fourth after its first home defeat of the seasonIt was a fairly even game with chances at both ends Leipzig managing director for sport Marcel Schaefer said Leverkusen played well and deserve credit We go into the winter break with two defeats but we will return stronger in JanuaryElsewhere Stuttgart drew 00 with Hoffenheim Freiburg edged Wolfsburg 43 Union Berlin defeated 10man Cologne 10 Hamburg drew 11 with Frankfurt and Augsburg and Werder Bremen drew 00 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/bundesliga-leverkusen-rallies-to-beat-leipzig-3-1-654915.html Sun, 21 Dec 2025 11:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/iwl-2025-26-indian-womens-footballs-finest-begin-battle-in-bengal-654711.html New Delhi Dec 19 The ninth season of the Indian Womenâs League will get underway on Saturday with eight teams set to do battle for the title of the best womenâs football club in the country East Bengal FC who won their maiden IWL trophy last season will have the opportunity to defend their title on home soil as the 202526 league will be played in a centralised format in Kolkata and Kalyani The IWL crown has seen three different winners in the last three seasons East Bengal and Odisha FC 202324 became champions for the first time breaking Gokulam Kerala FCâs hegemony the Malabarians had won three consecutive titles from 2020 to 2023 An unexpected subplot of last season was the relegation of Odisha FC who scripted some unwanted history by becoming the first reigning champions of an Indian topflight league to be relegated in the subsequent seasonThe 202526 IWL will be played in a double roundrobin format in two equal phases on either side of the Indian senior and U20 womenâs teamsâ Asian Cup campaigns The first phase will see each club play seven matches once against every opponent from December 20 2025 to January 9 2026 The second phase of fixtures will kick off on April 20 2026 and will end on May 10 2026From East Bengalâs quest to become only the second team to defend an IWL title to Gokulam Keralaâs yearn of adding a fourth star to their crest and Sethuâs longawaited desire to wrest another trophy from the favourites thereâs no dearth of storylines to look out for in the upcoming season Not to mention newlypromoted Garhwal United FC and Sesa Football Academy who are eager for their first taste of toptier football and Sribhumi FC who lived up to their dark horses tag last season and will surely be hungry for more this time aroundEast Bengal FCNo two ways about it 2025 has been East Bengalâs year In only their third season in the IWL they were dominant champions after finishing eight points above Gokulam Since August the Moshal Girls have been reaping the rewards travelling across Asia to represent India in the continent After navigating the preliminary round of the AFC Womenâs Champions League in Cambodia they were pitted against some of Asiaâs strongest teams in the group stage in ChinaAnd while their ambitious dreams of making the knockout stage were shattered by a lastminute concession East Bengal have kept their spirits alive and put on a stupendous show in the SAFF Womenâs Club Championship scoring 13 and conceding none so far Since Anthony Andrewsâ side will contest the final in Nepal on December 20 they will begin their IWL title defence a little later â on the leagueâs second matchday December 24 against Sethu FC A firstever international trophy ahead of the season would only instil more confidence as East Bengal aim to become only the second team to retain the titleGokulam Kerala FCInto the ninth season of the IWL and they are still the only team to win the trophy on more than one occasion Gokulam Kerala reshaped Indian womenâs football at the turn of the decade like no other club but have been fittingly secondbest in the last two seasonsThe Malabariansâ coaching staff underwent a restructuring during the summer with new head coach Raman Vijayan at the helm The former Indian menâs international has had five months to prepare his team Gokulam have made quite a few eyecatching signings including senior national team players like goalkeeper Shreya Hooda and midfielder Priyadharshini SWhile they will rue the loss of Ugandan striker Fazila Ikwaput who scored a staggering 24 goals for them last season and has now signed for East Bengal they must be happy to have retained Kenyan defender Phoeby Okech and signed Ghanaian midfielder Sandra Atinga and Mozambique international forward CidÃlia Daniel Cuta better known as NinikaSribhumi FCAs a freshlypromoted side Sribhumi FC exceeded expectations when they ended their debut IWL season in third place Under Sujata Kar the AIFF Womenâs Coach of the Year the Barrackpore side will only be aiming for a step above and perhaps present an outside challenge for the title Thatâs evident by Sribhumiâs busy offseason which has been full of signings including major domestic names like Anju Tamang Grace Dangmei Sanju Kamala Devi and Karishma ShirvoikarTheyâve also retained their topscoring duo from last season â Bala Devi and Mousumi Murmu who netted a combined 14 goals Sribhumi will also look to complement the experienced players with their exciting bunch of youngsters like Sibani Nongmeikapan Thoibisana Toijam Anju Kayenpaibam Arina Nameirakpam and Monalisha Moirangthem all of whom were part of the Indian squad that qualified for the AFC U20 Womenâs Asian CupKickstart FCThird second third and fourth This is where Kickstart FC have finished in the last four IWL seasons Though never really in the title fight but everpresent in the top half their consistency has been remarkable The Bengaluru side had a tough start last season as no wins in the first six games meant that they spent a few weeks in the relegation zone but six unbeaten matches to finish the campaign ensured a sixth participation in the IWLHead coach Chaoba Devi will lead her third campaign with Kickstart and will hope to maintain the tone right from the start In the Nigerian trio of Rafiat Titilayo Aweda Edeh Loveth and Emem Essien Peace thereâs a brand new foreigner lineup for Kickstart Among the Indians they have retained a major core of their squad with the likes of Ranjana Sorokhaibam Linthoingambi Maibam Linthoingambi Wangkhem Pakpi Yumlembam Aruna Bag and Bibicha LaishramSethu FCOne of the only three former champions in the IWL lineup this season Sethu FC havenât come close to affixing a second star to their crest since 202122 when they finished runnersup just three points adrift of Gokulam The Madurai side have been fourth and fifth in the last two seasons struggling for consistency and failing to win two matches in a row since 2023There is however renewed belief with new head coach Manoj Joshi and many new attacking signings like India international Lynda Kom and the Ghanaian duo of Doreen Graham and Abigail Antwi The return of Nepal international goalkeeper Anjila Subba and the signing of Blue Tigresses centreback Martina Thokchom may give them the defensive stability they require Winger Malavika P midfielder Babina Lisham and defender Nirmala Phanjoubam played every game for Sethu last season and are expected to be part of their core againNita Football AcademyDespite a fairly decent start Nita FA ended the campaign winless in the last five games and avoided relegation in their debut IWL season by only two points Results elsewhere gave Paromita Sitâs side a new lease of life and the local coach will hope for a more comfortable stay in their second topflight season While their highest scorer Rahama Jafaru is no longer with the club Nitaâs bigname signing Pyari Xaxa who has been one of Indiaâs most prolific scorers in recent times will be eager to fill those boots Other significant signings include a few India U20 players like Neha Cindy Colney and Bhumika Khumukcham Ghanaâs Matilda Kwao and attacking midfielder Amiratou Nâdjambara who will become the first Togolese to play in the IWLGarhwal United FCGarhwal United FC have arrived for their debut IWL campaign amid plenty of excitement Two seasons ago they missed out on promotion by only one point but last season they engineered a dominant campaign racking up eight wins out of eight scoring 28 goals and conceding just once India U20 international Lhingdeikim scored 12 of those and will be one of Garhwalâs standout names in what is the squad with the youngest average age in the IWL this season Head coach Akshay Unni and his side take pride in a team majorly made up of academy players â 70 per cent of them As far as foreign recruits are concerned Garhwal have roped in Ghanaian midfielders Ernestina Tetteh and Joyce LarbiSesa Football AcademyCourtesy of their thirdplace finish in the IWL 2 last season Sesa Football Academy will become the first Goan side to feature in the IWL since Churchill Brothers in 202223 There have been numerous changes in their squad with only seven players from the IWL 2 campaign remaining with the club However those do include some of their key names like forward Aniela Barretto midfielders Flani Costa Arpita Pednekar and defender Alisha TavaresA lot will ride on their foreign signings â Kenyan forward Omita Bertha who turned out for Sethu FC in 202324 and Ghanaian midfielder Diana Antwi Having a local squad with limited nationallevel experience Sesaâs main goal will be to punch above their weight and avoid relegation in their maiden IWL campaignAll matches will be streamed live on the Indian Football YouTube channel IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/iwl-2025-26-indian-womens-footballs-finest-begin-battle-in-bengal-654711.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 00:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/inter-milan-lose-to-bologna-on-penalties-in-italian-super-cup-sf-654766.html Riyadh Dec 20 Inter Milan knocked out of the Supercoppa Italiana after losing to Bologna on penalties in the semifinal Despite a solid performance the Nerazzurri were held to a 1â1 draw by Bologna after 90 minutes Inter created plenty of chances but were ultimately beaten by the Rossoblu in the penalty shootoutThurams early opener is cancelled out by Orsolini from the spot During the penalty shootout Bastoni Barella and Bonny miss as Bologna advance to the final against NapoliThe match started in spectacular fashion with Thuramâs thunderbolt after just over a minute only for Bologna to level in the 35th minute through Orsolini converting a penalty awarded for a handball by Bisseck after a VAR reviewIn the second half Inter came close to snatching the winner multiple times with Ravaglia making excellent stops to deny Luis Henrique Dimarco and Lautaro who came on after the break At the death MartÃnez pulled off a superb save against Fabbian to keep the score at 1â1The penalty shootout however swung in Bolognaâs favour After Lautaro scored Inter missed three in a row â Bastoni and Bonny saw their efforts saved while Barella fired over Bologna faltered with Moro and Miranda but Immobile found the net to send Italianoâs side through to the final against NapoliAfter the final whistle Henrikh Mkhitaryan commented on the match against Bologna and said âWe should have killed it off earlier once it goes to penalties itâs a different story The whole team played well up until the shootout In the second half we dominated the game and created a lot but if you donât take your chances it costs you â thats football Weâre sorry about thatWe have to work on closing matches out as early as possible because when you create that much you should put it to bed and we also have to believe we can win games even when we concede or go through difficult momentsBologna were here on merit after winning the Coppa Italia We tried to win and didnât â this is football Thereâs no need for excuses or justifications we have a lot to work on for what lies ahead It hurts itâs a big disappointment but we know what we need to do and weâll work harder to achieve our objectivesWe have to forget this match even though thereâs disappointment Now we focus on Atalanta â different competition and the importance of points to keep moving forward he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/inter-milan-lose-to-bologna-on-penalties-in-italian-super-cup-sf-654766.html Sat, 20 Dec 2025 14:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/athletic-bilbao-betis-move-into-copa-del-rey-last-16-654509.html Madrid Dec 19 Athletic Bilbao and Betis reached the Copa del Rey last 16 after tough away tests while Getafe became the latest topflight casualty in a round of shocks Athletic Bilabao needed extra time to see off thirdtier Ourense with Mikel Jauregizar deciding the contest with a precise volley in the 107th minute Ourense which had already knocked out Oviedo and Girona again proved awkward opposition on a pitch badly affected by torrential rainBetis also had to work hard away to thirdtier Real Murcia before winning 20 through Cucho Hernandezs penalty and an 85thminute own goal by Murcias Diego PineiroCucho Hernandez gave the Verdiblancos the lead in the first half from the penalty spot while an own goal by Diego PiÃeiro in the closing stages sealed the resultMeanwhile Getafe began well at Burgos taking the lead in the 32nd minute when Alex Sancris powered in after a corner Burgos hit back in firsthalf stoppage time as David Gonzalez equalised from the penalty spotInigo Cordoba then struck twice after the break finding space behind the Getafe back line to put Burgos 31 ahead Getafe had a late chance to revive the tie but Borja Mayoral missed a penalty reports XinhuaFC Barcelona Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid have also progressed to the last 16 but topflight sides Celta Vigo Mallorca Levante Villarreal and Sevilla have all been eliminated in this roundReal Madrid had edged into the fourth round of the Copa del Rey after a nervy 32 away win over thirdtier TalaveraAtletico Madrid reached the last 16 despite coach Diego Simeone rotating his squad in a 32 away win over thirdtier Atletico BalearesRayo Vallecano will play its tie at Granada on January 6 after Thursdays 30 Conference League win over Drita Gjilan IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/athletic-bilbao-betis-move-into-copa-del-rey-last-16-654509.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/conference-league-kups-hold-crystal-palace-fiorentina-edge-through-654514.html New Delhi Dec 19 KuPS gave Crystal Palace a scare while Fiorentina lost at LausanneSport but both sides progressed on a dramatic final day of league phase action as the lineup for the UEFA Conference League knockout stages was completed A breathless draw at Selhurst Park secured KuPS a spot in the knockout phase playoffs Goals from Piotr Parzyszek and Ibrahim Cisse in the space of three minutes stunned the Eagles after Christantus Uches superb opener in the fifth minuteOliver Glasners substitutions sparked the home side back to life a perfect cross from Tyrick Mitchell fresh off the bench finding an unmarked Justin Devenny at the far post However Palace could not find the winner which would have sent them through to the round of 16 instead joining their Finnish visitors in the knockout phase playoffsCrystal Palace meanwhile will have to navigate a playoff to reach the UEFA Conference League last 16 after a 22 draw with KuPS Kuopio confirmed a 10th place finish in the league phaseLausanneSport just missed out on a topeight place despite beating Fiorentina 10 in Switzerland The first half was one of few chances a Sekou Fofana attempt that skewed wide the closest either side cameThe second was more open however and after Enzo KanaBiyik skimmed the post with one deft effort his cross picked out Gabriel Sigua to head in from close rangeBeyatt Lekoueiry might have added a second but was denied by Viola goalkeeper Tommaso Martinelli Fiorentina will enter the playoffs after finishing 15th in the rankingsElsewhere two late goals earned Strasbourg a 31 win against valiant Breidablik and ensured that the French side finished top of the league phase on 16 pointsLuka Jovic converted a penalty in the 15th minute of added time as AEK Athens won 32 against Universitatea Craiova and condemned the Romanian side to an exit from the competitionThe Greek side trailed 21 after 90 minutes but Derek Kutesa levelled the scores and a win means they finished third in the table IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/conference-league-kups-hold-crystal-palace-fiorentina-edge-through-654514.html Fri, 19 Dec 2025 13:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/bengal-sports-minister-resigns-taking-moral-responsibility-for-messi-event-vandalism--653863.html Kolkata Dec 16 IANS West Bengal Sports Minister Aroop Biswas on Tuesday submitted his resignation taking moral responsibility for the lapses in management in the event featuring Argentine football star Lionel Messi at the Salt Lake Stadium here on SaturdaynbspChief Minister Mamata Banerjee has accepted his resignation Trinamool Congress spokesman and state General Secretary Kunal Ghosh said in a social media statementnbspIn his social media post Ghosh had claimed that the event of the Chief Minister accepting the resignation of Biswas had been as per information passed down by his sources However there was no official confirmation from the Chief Ministers office on this countAt the same time no announcement has been made so far about Biswas successornbspIn his handwritten resignation letter in Bengali Biswas claimed that since the Chief Minister had formed a probe committee headed by a retired judge of the Calcutta High Court he is resigning as state Sports Minister for the sake of impartiality of the investigation to be carried out by itnbspI hope you will approve my request in the matter read the resignation letter from Biswas who is also the state Power Minister This means that despite resigning as the Sports Minister Biswas will continue to be a member of the state cabinetBiswas had been the main target of scathing criticism from all quarters including civil society and opposition parties over the chaos at Salt Lake Stadium last week following severe management lapsesnbspThe event had witnessed chaos and disorder with allegations of poor crowd control damage to public property and a lack of proper arrangements triggering widespread criticism from spectators and civil society groupsBiswas was present at the stadium alongside Messi during the event Several spectators members of civil society and leaders of opposition parties have alleged that as Biswas and his family members surrounded the football star on the stadium ground spectators who had purchased tickets at high prices were denied adequate access to the football iconnbspThese allegations added to the political controversy surrounding the event with opposition parties accusing the state government of gross mismanagement and preferential treatment https://dailyworld.in/football/bengal-sports-minister-resigns-taking-moral-responsibility-for-messi-event-vandalism--653863.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 15:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-barcelona-to-start-copa-del-rey-title-defense-away-to-third-tier-guadalajara-653733.html Madrid Dec 15 Reigning Copa del Rey holder FC Barcelona will start its title defence campaign when Hansi Flicks side visits thirdtier Guadalajara in the third round of the tournament on Tuesday night Barcelona would make changes to the starting 11 that faced Osasuna on Saturday with players such as Andreas Christensen Frenkie de Jong Marc Casado and Fermin Lopez all likely to start while Marc Andre TerStegen could make his first appearance following his back operation in the summerRobert Lewandowski was an unused substitute in Saturdays 20 win but is a doubt with a slight physical problemGuadalajara play in the RFEF I division and lost 31 to Real Madrids Bteam on the weekendOn Wednesday Real Madrid travel to Talavera who play in the same division as GuadalajaraOn Thursday Atletico Madrid visits Atletico Baleares the side that knocked out Espanyol in the last round and Athletic Bilbao travels to play an Ourense side that has already beaten topflight rivals Oviedo and GironaOver the weekend Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo scored to give Real Madrid a 21 win away to Alaves on Sunday trimming the gap to La Liga leader FC Barcelona to four points Mbappe opened the scoring in the 24th minute after an excellent run before firing into the top cornerGoalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced a fine save to deny Pablo Ibanez on the stroke of halftime but Carlos Vicente levelled for Alaves in the 68th minute with a goal initially ruled offside before VAR overturned the decisionRodrygo restored Real Madrids lead in the 76th minute after good work from Vinicius Jr but then left the pitch with a calf injuryMeanwhile Barcelona won 20 at home to Osasuna on Saturday with Raphinha scoring both goals in the last 20 minutes His first goal came from outside the area while the second was slotted home from close range four minutes from time IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-barcelona-to-start-copa-del-rey-title-defense-away-to-third-tier-guadalajara-653733.html Tue, 16 Dec 2025 00:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/goat-india-tour-messi-leaves-fans-celebrities-mesmerised-gets-signed-india-jersey-from-tendulkar-653481.html Mumbai Dec 14 He came he saw and he conquered hearts all in one hour In one Messimerising hour spent at the iconic Wankhede Stadium as part of his GOAT India Tour 2025 Lionel Messi interacted with cricket legend Sachin Tendulkar Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis some current India and former football players film stars celebrities and politicians By the time he left exactly one hour after making a grand entry into the stadium at 530 pm the crowd was satisfied unlike his 20oddminute appearance in Kolkata which left ardent fans fuming and led to chaotic scenes including rioting by some angry fans and forced the West Bengal government to initiate a judicial inquiryMumbai was the third stop on his GOAT India Tour 2025 and the Argentine World Cup winner spent the most time with the fans after making a brief appearance at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata and a slightly longer stay at the Rajiv Gandhi International Stadium in UppalHe spent some time talking to Tendulkar with the help of his translator Tendulkar presented his signed India jersey and was seen pointing to the No 10 on the back a number he shared with the Argentine great Tendulkar also addressed the gathering talking to them initially in Marathi and then switching to English telling them that his meeting with Messi would be among the memorable moments he spent at the WankhedeIn an iconic moment the crowd chanted for Messis name alongside that of Tendulkar and Luis Suarez who along with Rodrigo are accompanying Messi on this GOAT India Tour 2025 Through Messi the crowd also tried to send a message to FC Barcelona for a visit to Mumbai chanting Barca BarcaOn the occasion Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis officially launched the Project Mahadeva of which Bollywood star Tiger Shroff is a mentor and brand ambassador Project Mahadeva plans to provide transformative support for schoolgoing boys and girls players from the state and help them realise their football dreams The Chief Minister in his address informed Messi amp Co the details of the project and hoped that one day players from this project would rule the football world just like the Argentine legend has done The Maharashtra government has picked 16 players as an initial intake in the Mahadeva projectMessi reached the Wankhede at around 530 pm around 30 minutes later than what was scheduled But he looked more relaxed and ready to mingle at times pointing out to the security personnel and officials the areas of the ground he would like to go to He came from the nearby Cricket Club of India CCI where he participated in a programme promoting Padel and reportedly played some time with businessman Parth Jindal of JSW SportHe reached the Wankhede Stadium halfway through the Celebrity Football Match involving India XI versus Mitra XI which involved Bengaluru FC players like Sunil Chettri Rahul Bheke Jayesh Rana and Ashutosh Mehta along with India woman star Bala DeviMessi shook hands with the two teams and posed for photographs with them After that he took a lap of the stadium kicking footballs into the crowd to carry home as mementos of his visit Suarez and Rodrigo joined him in the lap of order Messi also kicked a ball with school kids from the Mahadeva project and also interacted with themAfter reaching the makeshift stage Messi was welcomed by Maharashtra chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and his wife and presented a GOAT Tour jersey to the Chief Minister He also posed for photographs with Bollywood stars Tiger Shroff Ajay Devgn and Dino MoreaAfter a lengthy interaction with Tendulkar Messi left the stadium to attend some more events as part of his whirlwind tour of the City He is scheduled to attend a celebrity fashion show where he is likely to auction some signed jerseys and mementoesThe Argentine football captain is scheduled to depart for Delhi on Monday morning IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/goat-india-tour-messi-leaves-fans-celebrities-mesmerised-gets-signed-india-jersey-from-tendulkar-653481.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 00:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/rodrygo-mbappe-earn-vital-la-liga-win-for-real-madrid-653547.html Madrid Dec 15 Kylian Mbappe and Rodrygo scored to give Real Madrid a 21 win away to Alaves trimming the gap to La Liga leader FC Barcelona to four points Mbappe opened the scoring in the 24th minute after an excellent run before firing into the top cornerGoalkeeper Thibaut Courtois produced a fine save to deny Pablo Ibanez on the stroke of halftime but Carlos Vicente leveled for Alaves in the 68th minute with a goal initially ruled offside before VAR overturned the decision reports XinhuaRodrygo restored Real Madrids lead in the 76th minute after good work from Vinicius Jr but then left the pitch with a calf injuryFC Barcelona won 20 at home to Osasuna with Raphinha scoring both goals in the last 20 minutesHis first goal came from outside the area while the second was slotted home from close range four minutes from timeSevilla claimed a 40 win against struggling Oviedo who remains rooted in the bottom three and without a win in eight games since Luis Carrion returned as coachThe game was virtually over by the 22nd minute after Akor Adams and Djibril Sow had put Sevilla 20 up with Batista Mendy scoring a neat individual goal in the 51st minute and Chidera Ejuke wrapping things up one minute from timeOviedos day was made worse by David Carmos 82ndminute red card and the club announced later in the day that Carrion had been sackedCelta claimed its first home league win of the season with a 20 triumph over Athletic Bilbao with Williot Swedberg and Jones ElAbdellaoui scoring after 48 and 55 minutes while Athletics Nico Williams had a tame penalty savedThe game scheduled on Sunday between Levante and Villarreal was postponed due to a red alert for heavy rain in the Valencia region IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/rodrygo-mbappe-earn-vital-la-liga-win-for-real-madrid-653547.html Mon, 15 Dec 2025 16:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-edge-wolves-to-go-five-points-clear-in-premier-league-standings-653379.html London Dec 14 An own goal deep into secondhalf stoppage time saw Arsenal edge past Wolverhampton Wanderers that keeps gunners top of the Premier League table Yerson Mosqueras own goal four minutes into secondhalf stoppage time spared Arsenals blushes as they edged out Wolverhampton Wanderers 21 at Emirates StadiumAfter a quiet first half Arsenal were much improved after the break and after forcing Wolves keeper Johnstone into some good saves they finally got in front on 70 minutes when a Bukayo Saka corner struck a post and went in off the visiting custodianBut as the game ticked past 90 minutes it exploded into life Tolu Arokodare nodded Wolves level as it looked like Arsenal would suffer a similar fate to their recent woes at Sunderland and Aston Villa but in the 94th minute Yerson Mosquera diverted another Saka delivery past his goalkeeper to send gunners five points clear at the top of the tableThis was the seventh time in Premier League history a team scored twice in a Premier League match with both goals being own goals and first since Leicester against Liverpool in December 2022Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta saos after the win We have periods so three minutes deep so passive really poor defensive habits not acceptable for our level We need to improve that and at the end you rely on an individual action to score the goal and win the gameWe create lots of situations without picking the right players in the final pass Regardless of how the game goes you can always find a solution to win it Now we are going to have a clean week Then we go again Christmas period we know what happensWolves coach Rob Edwards added We have lost a game and I think it is our fault The lads carried the game plan out really well The two goals we conceded are bizarre especially the first one To get back in it and work that hard and show a lot of fight spirit and courageTo lose it late on it hurts There is a lot there to like but I hate losing What we have come into is difficult we are going the right way about it It is a positive night apart from the result But we are in a results business IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-edge-wolves-to-go-five-points-clear-in-premier-league-standings-653379.html Sun, 14 Dec 2025 16:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/messi-ed-up-in-kolkata-a-case-of-poor-management-653273.html New Delhi Dec 13 Kolkata knows how to worship footballing gods On Saturday afternoon that devotion turned into disillusionment as Lionel Messiâs muchanticipated appearance ended not in applause but in anger and chaos at the Salt Lake Stadium The cityâs longawaited tryst with the Argentine icon quickly unravelled when Messi in India as part of his GOAT Tour was forced to cut short his lap of honour at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan following an uncontrollable surge in the crowd Frustration boiled over bottles were thrown and security officials hurried him off the pitch within minutesMany spectators including those who had paid premium prices for tickets complained that they never managed to see Messiâneither directly nor on the stadiumâs giant screensâdespite waiting for hours A heavy security cordon and the presence of politicians and dignitaries occupying prime viewing areas further restricted visibility intensifying frustration among the crowdAs tempers flared the situation inside the stadium deteriorated Banners were vandalised seats were damaged and chairs were thrown onto the ground exposing serious lapses in crowd control at one of the countryâs largest sporting venues Outside angry supporters told the media that Messi had remained on the field for barely a few minutes before being ushered awayThe backlash spilled onto social media where fans slammed organisers for what they described as âshambolic planningâ and âcomplete mismanagementââWe paid thousands just to watch politicians take selfies while Messi disappeared in minutesâ one fan wrote on XâThis is not crowd troubleâthis is organiser failureâ posted anotherSeveral fans pointed out that this was not the first time such an event had descended into chaosâEvery big sporting event follows the same script When will we finally learnâ read one widely shared postEarlier in the day Messi had virtually unveiled a 70foot iron statue at the Sree Bhumi Sporting Club in Lake Townâan imposing tribute depicting him holding the FIFA World Cup trophy Completed in just 40 days the statue drew admiration and applause from supporters across the cityYet the turmoil at Salt Lake Stadium cast a shadow over what was meant to be a unifying moment for Indian football fans once again exposing the gap between passion in the stands and professionalism behind the scenes IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/messi-ed-up-in-kolkata-a-case-of-poor-management-653273.html Sat, 13 Dec 2025 23:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-pulga-fever-grips-delhi-ahead-of-messi-merising-december-15-653077.html New Delhi Dec 12 Delhi is in the grip of fullblown football frenzy as Lionel Messi â La Pulga â the little magician with the giant footprint prepares to land in the national capital on December 15 What began as buzz has escalated into electricity with fans counting down the moments until the Argentine legend walks into the Arun Jaitley Stadium One thing is certain Delhi isnât just welcoming a star itâs getting ready to be utterly Messimerised Across the city football has spilled onto the streets Argentina jerseys dominate marketplaces graffiti artists are splashing Messi tributes across walls and neighbourhood gullies echo with kids trying to bend the ball like La PulgaâFor us this is bigger than a festivalâ said a fan from Karol Bagh who has been collecting Messi posters since he was 6 âMessi coming to Delhi feels unreal I havenât slept properly for a weekâFan clubs are gearing up with earlymorning queues drumled chants and massive tifos set to unfurl the instant Messi steps onto the turf A college student from South Campus summed up the excitement âIâve watched Messi my whole life on TV To see him walk out in front of me â thatâs a childhood dream finally taking shapeâInside the stadium preparations mirror the hype Security teams and volunteers are bracing for a massive early surge with stands expected to fill long before the programme beginsBut the frenzy goes deeper than a single visit Messiâs arrival underscores just how sharply footballâs pulse has quickened in India In a country where cricket has long dominated the sheer scale of Messiâs draw shows how firmly the beautiful game has taken root in the dreams of young playersâMessi is the reason I picked up a footballâ said a 14yearold fan practising stepovers outside his school in Dwarka âIf I get to see him once even from far away thatâs enough motivation for the next 10 yearsâCome December 15 when Messi steps out and the roar rises to the sky Delhi wonât just witness a global icon it will watch an entire city lose itself happily and wholeheartedly to La Pulga feverArguably the greatest footballer to ever play the game Messi is set to embark on a threeday fourcity tour of India on December 13 14 and 15As part of the tour the Argentine forward will visit Kolkata Hyderabad Mumbai and New Delhi The tour will conclude in the capital where Messi is also expected to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-pulga-fever-grips-delhi-ahead-of-messi-merising-december-15-653077.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 14:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/xabi-alonso-still-in-danger-as-la-liga-closes-in-on-christmas-break-652983.html Madrid Dec 11 There is a saying in Spanish football to eat the turron referring to the traditional Christmas sweet that appears on most dinner tables in Spain on December 24 and 25 A coach who eats the turron has survived in his post until Christmas while others who fail to eat it have been sacked before the halfway point of the season With two rounds of matches left before the holidays there are several coaches in La Liga who are in danger of not eating the turron this yearThe pressure continues to mount on Real Madrids Xabi Alonso after Wednesdays 21 Champions League defeat to Manchester City saw his side booed off the pitch after successive home defeatsAlthough Alonsos players certainly showed more commitment against Manchester City than in the weekend loss at home to Celta Vigo they now have to show that again in Sundays visit to VitoriaGasteiz where they play Deportivo Alaves reports XinhuaInjury and suspension mean Alonso is without fullbacks for the game with Raul Asensio and Antonio Rudiger his only fit central defenders but what he needs more than anything is for his players to show they are behind him because anything but a win would probably see him take the sackFC Barcelona are at home to an Osasuna side that has only two draws away from the El Sadar StadiumOsasuna coach Alessio Lisci possibly saved his job with a 20 win over bottomofthetable Levante on Monday but his side can be expected to suffer in the Camp Nou against the league leaders on SaturdayValencia coach Carlos Corberan is another coach who wont feel entirely secure because despite a fourgame unbeaten run Valencia are only three points above the relegation zone ahead of a difficult visit to Atletico MadridAtletico claimed a vital Champions League win away to PSV Eindhoven on Tuesday night and with Alexander Sorloth in excellent form Diego Simeones side has been almost untouchable in front of its home fans at the Metropolitano StadiumThe weekend kicks off with Real Sociedad at home to Girona with Real Sociedads recent recovery halted by consecutive defeats and not helped by injury to forward Mikel OyarzabalGirona coach Michel Sanchez has to decide whether to drop goalkeeper Paulo Gazzaniga after last weeks horror show in goal knowing that after a 30 defeat against Elche and Girona in the bottom three his job is also on the lineCelta Vigo are at home to an improving Athletic Club Bilbao who gained a morale boost by holding European champions Paris SaintGermain to a draw on WednesdayVillarreals European adventure ended tamely in midweek but a visit to bottomofthetable Levante offers the chance for Marcelino Garcia Torals men to continue riding high in La Liga especially as Marcelino rested players for the midweek defeat to CopenhagenGetafe and Espanyol are both in the top half of the season although dont expect a festival of goals when they meet on Saturday night especially as Getafe are without suspended midfielder Pere Milla and Espanyol have lost Ramon Terrats who was on loan at Getafe last season to injuryOviedo visit Sevilla after scoring just one goal and four points in seven matches since Luis Carrion returned as first team coach and although Carrion has made his side harder to beat they are no closer to avoiding relegationMallorca also need points in their game at home to Elche while the round of games ends with Rayo Vallecano at home to Betis on Monday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/xabi-alonso-still-in-danger-as-la-liga-closes-in-on-christmas-break-652983.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 01:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/freiburg-stuttgart-edge-closer-to-europa-league-knockouts-653010.html New Delhi Dec 12 SC Freiburg strengthened its position in Europe with a 10 victory over Salzburg taking an important step toward the next phase of the UEFA Europa League Freiburg gradually asserted control through calm possession and a compact midfield and the match tilted in its favour midway through the first half when Salzburg forward Petar Ratkov was dismissed for a reckless aerial challengeThe hosts however almost conceded before the break when a swift counterattack ended with a shot skimming past the postFreiburg broke the deadlock shortly after the restart when a driven ball from the left caused confusion in the area taking two deflections before Philipp Lienhart nudged it over the lineThe result leaves Freiburg fifth on 14 points level with Real Betis and just one point behind the leading trio of Lyon Midtjylland and Aston Villa keeping a direct route into the last 16 firmly in play as the league phase nears its conclusionIt wasnt an easy match not even with the extra man but the team handled it with real composure We demanded a disciplined approach and the players delivered that exactly said Freiburg coach Julian SchusterAlso VfB Stuttgart claimed a 41 win over Maccabi Tel Aviv to tighten its grip on a playoff berthStuttgart opened the scoring in the 24th minute when Lorenz Assignon arrived at the far post to steer a firsttime volley from Maximilian Mittelstadts cross into the netA quick exchange involving Denis Undav and Angelo Stiller then sliced through the visitors shape allowing Tiago Tomas to apply a composed finish for a deserved twogoal lead before the intervalMittelstadt added a third from the penalty spot shortly after the restart However pushing forward left Stuttgart exposed and Roy Revivo exploited the space with a low shot that slipped under goalkeeper Alexander Nubel in the 52nd minuteStuttgart tightened its structure and dictated the pace again and Badredine Bouananis late driving run opened space for Josha Vagnoman who rose to head accurately inside the far postA third straight win lifted Stuttgart to ninth on 12 points while Maccabi remains second from bottom with one point IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/freiburg-stuttgart-edge-closer-to-europa-league-knockouts-653010.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 09:35:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/de-paul-completes-permanent-inter-miami-move-653024.html Fort Lauderdale Dec 12 Inter Miami have exercised an option to sign Argentine midfielder Rodrigo De Paul on a permanent deal the MLS club said De Paul 31 joined Miami on loan from Atletico Madrid in July helping the club secure its first MLS Cup with 17 league appearances and a goal in the final against the Vancouver WhitecapsThe 2022 World Cup winner had been contracted to Atletico Madrid until June 2026 having joined the Spanish club from Udinese in 2021Inter Miami however did not provide details of the new contractThe Florida outfit also said it is in ongoing negotiations with outofcontract Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez and Argentine forward Tadeo Allende whose loan from Celta Vigo expires this monthThe new MLS season is due to begin on February 21 next yearMeanwhile Inter Miami signed Academy product and MLS Cup 2025 Champion Ian Fray to a contract extension through the 202829 MLS season with an extension option for the 202930 seasonFray recently wrapped up his third season with Inter Miami CFâs First Team in 2025 after coming through the Clubâs Player Development Pathway making 35 appearances and contributing one goal and four assists across all competitionsThe defender initially signed his contract as a Homegrown Player in 2021 and subsequently missed the 2021 and 2022 seasons due to longterm injuriesHe returned to action in 2023 and since then has been a member of Inter Miamiâs squad that secured the historic first four titles in Club history winning the 2023 Leagues Cup the 2024 Supportersâ Shield title doing so establishing the MLS singleseason points record in the process the 2025 MLS Eastern Conference title and the MLS Cup IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/de-paul-completes-permanent-inter-miami-move-653024.html Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/europa-league-celta-betis-and-rayo-in-focus-as-spanish-clubs-face-important-european-ties-652715.html Madrid Dec 10 Celta Vigo Real Betis and Rayo Vallecano return to European action on Thursday with Betis and Celta seeking to secure topeight spots in their Europa League groups and Rayo needing a win in the Europa Conference League to avoid going through a playoff round Betis sit fifth in their Europa League group ahead of their visit to Dinamo Zagreb in CroatiaCoach Manuel Pellegrini is expected to freshen his side after a 53 home defeat to Barcelona at the weekend with Cedrik Bakambu Junior Firpo and young winger Pablo Garcia among those in line to start With Betis not playing again in La Liga until Monday against Rayo wholesale changes remain unlikely reports XinhuaCelta travel on the back of Sundays standout 20 win away to Real Madrid secured by a brace from Williot Swedberg Coach Claudio Giraldez is set to start Swedberg at home to Bologna with Ferran Jutgla and Iago Aspas also expected to feature as he rotates his attackA surprise defeat to Ludogorets two weeks ago has left Celta with work to do to confirm a topeight finish and three points against a rival one point behind would be significantRayos limited squad has been tested by its European schedule with the final two Conference League group games to be played over the coming week After a 10 league loss to Espanyol and a setback in Bratislava Rayo visits Jagiellonia Bialystok where coach Inigo Perez is likely to make several changes Midfielder Unai Lopez is certain to start as he is suspended for next weekends league matchThe 2025â26 UEFA Europa League is the 55th season of Europes secondary club football tournament and the 17th season since it was renamed from the UEFA Cup to the UEFA Europa LeagueThe final will be played on May 20 2026 at Besiktas Stadium in Istanbul TurkeyAfter five matches Frances Lyon currently share the top spot with Midtjylland of Denmark and Aston Villa of England at 12 points Real Betis are sharing the fourth spot with SC Freiburg and FerencvÃros of Hungary on 11 points IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/europa-league-celta-betis-and-rayo-in-focus-as-spanish-clubs-face-important-european-ties-652715.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 00:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-leaders-arsenal-stay-perfect-man-city-beat-real-madrid-away-652749.html New Delhi Dec 11 Tabletopping Arsenal made it six wins from six and cemented their place at the top of the league phase table with a 30 win against Club Brugge while Manchester City City emerged victorious 21 from their trip to Real Madrid Superb Noni Madueke and Gabriel Martinelli strikes helped Arsenal move to six wins from six in the league phase One of seven changes to the XI that defeated Bayern on Matchday 5 Madueke hit a scintillating opener on 25 minutes when he held off Joaquin Seys deep in Club Brugges half drove forward and thundered a longrange strike into the topright cornerThe hosts twice came close through Aleksandar StankoviÄ later in the first half but Arsenal responded emphatically after the break â Madueke heading in Martin Zubimendis cross on 47 minutes before Martinelli cut in to curl a superb third nine minutes later The return of Gabriel Jesus out of action since January added further sweetness for the Gunners UEFA reportsMeanwhile Nico OReillys instinctive strike and Erling Haalands cool penalty sealed a comeback victory for the Man CityReal Madrid enjoyed the brighter opening Vinicius Junior dinking wide early on before Rodrygo applied a neat finish to a sweeping move just ahead of the halfhourPep Guardiolas men were behind for a little over seven minutes levelling when OReilly pounced after Thibaut Courtois was unable to hold a JoÅko Gvardiol header With halftime approaching Haaland marked his 50th Champions League start with a calm spot kick following a foul on the Norwegian international by Antonio RüdigerSubstitute Endrick came closest to conjuring up an equaliser but nodded against the crossbar late onElsewhere Leverkusens Alejandro Grimaldo found a late equaliser to deny Newcastle a win on their travels in GermanyAnthony Gordons fine secondhalf performance had looked like enough only for Grimaldo to run into the area and smash past Aaron Ramsdale with two minutes remainingLeverkusen led when captain Robert Andrichs header hit Bruno GuimarÃes on the back and deflected in Gordon levelling by drilling in a penalty after Nick Woltemade had been fouledThe England man then crossed for teenager Lewis Miley to head in but Grimaldo had the last word IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-leaders-arsenal-stay-perfect-man-city-beat-real-madrid-away-652749.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 10:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-athletic-club-hold-psg-to-goalless-draw-dortmund-held-by-bodoglimt-652785.html New Delhi Dec 11 Paris SaintGermain were held to a goalless draw in Bilabao as Athletic Club became the first team in this seasons Champions League to prevent the holders from scoring Unai Simon was the hero for the hosts producing a string of big saves including two pointblank stops against Senny Mayulu and a late attempt by fellow Spaniard Fabian RuizBardley Barcola came closest for Paris when he raced in behind but his shot crashed back off the crossbar as it remained all square at San MamesIn another match BodoGlimt twice battled back from behind to take a spirited point away at Dortmund with a 22 drawDortmund largely controlled the game but Nikita Haikin in the Bodo goal made two smart saves to keep the visitors in itJulian Brandt opened the scoring for Dortmund Haitam Aleesami equalising before the break Brandt added his second before Haikins stops allowed Jens Petter Hauge to wrongfoot Gregor Kobel down the other end and claim a battling draw for his sideElsewhere Secondhalf goals from Weston McKennie and Jonathan David helped Juventus to backtoback wins in the Champions League Both sides had chances in the first half Pafos striker Anderson hitting a postThe hosts started the second half with real purpose however and the pressure finally told when McKennie blasted into the net after nice buildup playAs Pafos pushed for an equaliser shortly after going behind they were hit on the counter Kenan YÄldÄz picking out David who finished coolly to seal the pointsCopenhagen earned successive wins in the Champions League proper for the first time since 201011 as Andreas Cornelius swept in a 90thminute winner at Villarreal for 32 winThe visitors took an early lead when Mohamed Elyounoussi applied a firsttime finish but Villarreal levelled two minutes into the second period through Santiago ComesaÃaThe Danish side retook the lead a minute later as Elias Achouri swept in Yoram Zagues cross with his first touch Villarreal again pegging them back when Tani Oluwaseyi â another secondhalf introduction â prodded in on 56 minutes Then came Cornelius winner IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-athletic-club-hold-psg-to-goalless-draw-dortmund-held-by-bodoglimt-652785.html Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/athletic-bilbao-lose-spain-international-laporte-for-two-months-with-a-hamstring-injury-652652.html Madrid Dec 10 Athletic Club Bilbao suffered a significant injury blow on Wednesday as Spain international Aymeric Laporte was diagnosed with a severe hamstring injury The defender was forced off in the 33rd minute of Saturdays 10 home win over Atletico Madrid after falling awkwardly The club issued a brief medical update on Wednesday morning noting he underwent an MRI scan yesterday TuesdayFollowing further tests it has been confirmed that the player has suffered a severe muscle injury to the biceps femoris in his left leg The defender has begun his recovery process and is awaiting further tests concludes the communiqueAthletic did not give a timeline but the nature of the injury suggests an absence of around two months ruling Laporte out of Januarys Spanish Supercup Champions League games against Paris SaintGermain Atalanta and Sporting Lisbon and several La Liga fixturesThe setback combined with Yeray Alvarezs suspension until April for a doping violation linked to a hairloss product leaves coach Ernesto Valverde with only two senior central defenders Dani Vivian and Aitor Paredes and Paredes is suspended for Wednesdays game against PSGSince returning to the club in the summer after two seasons in Saudi Arabia Laporte has been almost everpresent for Valverde with his form earning a recent recall to the Spain squad for World Cup qualifyingBorn on May 27 1994 as Aymeric Jean Louis GÃrard Alphonse Laporte in Agen France he represented his country of birth at the youth level before shifting allegiance to Spain because he is of Basque descent through his greatgrandparents The centrebackLaporte made his first La Liga appearance on December 9 2012 playing one minute in a 1â0 home win over Celta Vigo He was named in the starting lineup the following week helping Bilbao defeat MallorcaHe played for Manchester City from 2018 to 2023 and then joined Saudi side Al Nassr from 2023 to 2025 before returning to Athletic Bilbao before the start of the 202526 season IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/athletic-bilbao-lose-spain-international-laporte-for-two-months-with-a-hamstring-injury-652652.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 23:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/bayern-beat-sporting-to-strengthen-champions-league-position-652446.html Berlin Dec 10 Bayern Munich came from behind to secure a 31 victory over Sporting CP in the UEFA Champions League with teenage forward Lennart Karl at the heart of the recovery Intent on repairing its European standing Bayern took the reins early and appeared to have taken an early lead when Karl finished smartly in the area The effort was ruled out for a marginal offside but it set the tone for a dominant first half in which the hosts controlled possession and territoryHarry Kane and Serge Gnabry both went close while Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva was repeatedly called into actionSporting offered little sustained attacking threat before the break though they nearly profited from Bayerns high line when a sharp cross caused momentary confusion in the defence forcing Manuel Neuer into an instinctive saveDespite striking the woodwork and wasting several promising openings Bayern went in at the interval without rewardThe match briefly shifted after the restart Sporting struck against the run of play on 54 minutes when Joao Simoes surged down the flank and his low cross deflected off Joshua Kimmich and beyond Neuer though Bayern drew level ten minutes later when Gnabry steered home from a cornerThe momentum swung decisively four minutes later as Karl showcased his composure and technique by finishing cleanly from an acute angle to put Bayern aheadThe Bundesliga leader asserted full control thereafter and sealed the outcome in the closing stages as Gnabrys cushioned header found Jonathan Tah who bundled home from close rangeThe result leaves Bayern second in the leaguephase standings with 15 points from six matches level with leader Arsenal but trailing on goal difference Sporting slips to ninth on 10 points remaining in contention for the knockout rounds but under growing pressure ahead of the final fixturesIt was a very good but intense game Karl said We created a lot of chances and in the first half we really should have scored The second half was very good and we showed our quality IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/bayern-beat-sporting-to-strengthen-champions-league-position-652446.html Wed, 10 Dec 2025 09:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-mo-salah-set-to-be-axed-from-liverpool-squad-for-inter-milan-report-652054.html Liverpool Dec 8 Liverpool forward Mohammad Salah is expected to be axed from the squad for Tuesdays Champions League match against Inter Milan says a report However the final decision is still to be made with Salah training with the squad on Monday According to Sky Sports Salahs anticipated exclusion occurs just two days after he gave a heated interview after the 33 draw with Leeds in which he said he had been thrown under the bus had no relationship with manager Arne Slot and that Saturdays match against Brighton might be his last at AnfieldSalah who has been a consistent starter and talisman for the Reds since joining the team in 2017 has started on the bench in Liverpools previous three games His performance has declined this season though as he has only scored five goals in 18 games which is comparable to Liverpools as they attempt to stabilise their performanceSpeaking to reporters on Saturday Salah who signed a new deal at the end of last season said I have done so much for this club down the years and especially last season Now Im sitting on the bench and I dont know whyIt seems like the club has thrown me under the bus That is how I am feeling I think it is very clear that someone wanted me to get all of the I got a lot of promises in the summer and so far I am on the bench for three games so I cant say they keep their promiseI said many times before that I had a good relationship with the manager and all of a sudden we dont have any relationship I dont know why but it seems to me how I see it that someone doesnt want me in the club Salah saidThe trip to Inter would be Salahs farewell Reds appearance as the 33yearold will be joining Egypt for the Africa Cup of Nations next week It was even suggested that Saturdays game at Anfield against Brighton may be his final one with the team He may join the Saudi Pro League in January according to multiple reports IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-mo-salah-set-to-be-axed-from-liverpool-squad-for-inter-milan-report-652054.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 00:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrids-rodrygo-walks-down-memory-lane-ahead-of-man-city-test-in-ucl-derby-652342.html Madrid Dec 9 As Real Madrid prepare to meet Manchester City for a fifth consecutive Champions League season Madrid winger Rodrygo walks down memory lane as he thinks back to his most unforgettable moment from the semifinal meeting in 2022 when he scored his first goal In each of the past four seasons one side has eliminated the other from the knockout phase and the pair have claimed three titles between them in that span Real Madrid in 202122 and 202324 and Manchester City in 202223The two teams have played a total of 14 matches since their first encounter in the 201213 season Over the last six seasons they have faced each other 10 times and produced memorable moments in each of the five twolegged knockout tiesReal Madrid prevailed on three occasions with special mention going to the semifinal comeback that secured our ticket to win the Decimocuarta in Paris in 2022I think thatâs my most unforgettable football momentâ Rodrygo told UEFA The most important moment was after I scored the first goal when the fourth official showed six minutes of added timeâ he explained âIt felt as if we had scored another goal â the fans went crazy Right after that I scored my second goalKarim Benzemaâs 95thminute penalty then sent the hosts to the final where they defeated Liverpool 10 to earn a 14th crown in the competitionLos Blancos ended up on the losing side in the following years semifinal rematch Manchester City sealing a 51 aggregate victory on the way to their maiden Champions League titleRodrygo found himself back on the scoresheet and on the winning side in 202324 as Real Madrid earned a penaltyshootout triumph in the quarterfinalsThe first leg was an amazing match a spectacleâ Rodrygo said of the 33 draw in Madrid âIt captured the essence of all the Manchester City versus Real Madrid games in the previous years It was great and for me it was a privilege being on the pitch and scoring that dayâThe Brazilian then struck Real Madridâs only goal as a 11 draw followed in Manchester Carlo Ancelottiâs charges prevailing through dogged defending and a 43 penalty shootout victoryâThe match in England against them was a tough one I was lucky enough to score again but we struggled a lot throughout the matchâ Rodrygo recalledLos Blancos then defeated Bayern München in the semifinals and Borussia Dortmund in the showpiece to extend their record tally of European CupChampions League titles to 15 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrids-rodrygo-walks-down-memory-lane-ahead-of-man-city-test-in-ucl-derby-652342.html Tue, 09 Dec 2025 17:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/dortmund-tighten-top-three-grip-after-win-over-hoffenheim-651860.html Berlin Dec 8 Borussia Dortmund produced a controlled efficient display to secure a 20 home win over Hoffenheim strengthening their hold on a topthree position in the Bundesliga The visitors arrived in good form and began confidently staying compact and matching Dortmunds intensity during an even first half that produced few clear chances Both sides pressed aggressively in midfield with disciplined defending limiting openings in the final thirdDortmund broke the deadlock just before halftime with their sharpest move of the match Julian Brandt found space inside the penalty area and finished from close range after a welltimed overlap down the right created the openingThe home side took greater control after the break dictating the tempo and restricting Hoffenheims attacking rhythm Their superiority was rewarded shortly after the hour when Nico Schlotterbeck reacted quickest to a set piece sliding the ball into the corner to double the leadHoffenheim pushed for a response and made attacking changes briefly threatening with a late effort that flew over the bar but Dortmunds defence remained composed as the hosts managed the closing stages with little alarmThe result extends Dortmunds strong home run and keeps them firmly in the fight near the top of the table while Hoffenheim saw their recent momentum checked despite a competitive displayWe are of course satisfied because we won We kept a clean sheet and allowed nothing tonight We defended well and it was a deserved victory Nothing spectacular but an important home win for us said Niko KovacElsewhere in the 13th round of the Bundesliga the northern derby returned for the first time since February 2018 and ended in dramatic fashion Werder Bremen scored first before Hamburg responded with two goals Justa Njinmahs late equaliser appeared to rescue a point for Bremen but Yussuf Poulsen struck in the closing moments to give Hamburg a 32 victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/dortmund-tighten-top-three-grip-after-win-over-hoffenheim-651860.html Mon, 08 Dec 2025 13:12:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/messis-inter-miami-cf-crowned-mls-cup-champions-651800.html Fort Lauderdale Dec 7 Inter Miami CF secured a historic 31 win over Vancouver Whitecaps FC to clinch the Clubâs fourth trophy and firstever MLS Cup title Lionel Messi assisted secondhalf goals from Rodrigo De Paul and Tadeo Allende delivering Miami their first Philip F Anschutz Trophy in the clubs sixth seasonNotably Messi earned MLS Cup MVP honors after dishing out two assists Additionally Spanish legends Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets were selected as Icons of the Match presented by Royal Caribbean as they closed out their stellar careers lifting one last titleMessi first created a 71stminute gamewinner from Rodrigo De Paul capitalising on a midfield turnover with a fastbreak chance from the Argentine internationals and 2022 FIFA World Cup championsHe then slipped Allende through in the 96th minute and his compatriot sealed the result with a low finish that marked his record ninth MLS Cup Playoffs goalDe Paul and Allendeâs heroics followed a 60thminute equalizer from Vancouver with Canadian international Ali Ahmed putting just enough power on his shot to beat goalkeeper Rocco Rios NovoBefore the secondhalf fireworks Miami opened the scoring in the eighth minute through an Ãdier Ocampo own goal The Vancouver defender deflected in Allendeâs cross after Messi and De Paul combined on the near touchlineInter Miami have earned their most soughtafter trophy since signing Messi in July 2023 a monumental move that kickstarted a new era of North American soccer They previously won Leagues Cup 2023 and Supportersâ Shield 2024 titles and are now the 16th alltime MLS Cup winner This all comes in Miamiâs sixth season and with the club set to open Miami Freedom Park next AprilThis trophy also sends Alba and Busquets out as champions the Spain and FC Barcelona legends previously announced their planned retirements after the 2025 season IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/messis-inter-miami-cf-crowned-mls-cup-champions-651800.html Sun, 07 Dec 2025 12:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/torres-hat-trick-powers-barcelona-past-betis-in-la-liga-651801.html Madrid Dec 7 Ferran Torres scored a firsthalf hattrick as FC Barcelona roared back from conceding an early goal to beat Real Betis 53 in La Liga Antony put Betis ahead in just the sixth minute of the match before Barcelona took complete controlTorres scored after 11 and 13 minutes to overturn Betis early lead Swedish winger Roony Bardghji added a third on the half hour and Torres completed his hattrick in the 40th minute reports XinhuaLamine Yamals penalty around the hour mark made it 51 Barcelona coach Hansi Flick began to rest players such as Pedri which allowed Betis to pull back two late goals through Diego Llorente and Cucho HernandezAlex Berenguer scored the winner in Athletic Bilbaos 10 home victory over Atletico Madrid curling a leftfooted shot past goalkeeper Jan Oblak from outside the penalty area in the 85th minuteVillarreal claimed a comfortable 20 win at home to Getafe whose midfielder Pere Milla was shown a red card in the 47th minuteTajon Buchanan put Villarreal ahead three minutes later and Georges Mikautadze doubled the lead in the 64th minute to strengthen Villarreals third place in the tableDeportivo Alaves won a Basque derby 10 at home to Real Sociedad with Lucas Boyes penalty in first half injury time separating the two sidesOviedo had a 00 draw at home to Mallorca on Friday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/torres-hat-trick-powers-barcelona-past-betis-in-la-liga-651801.html Sun, 07 Dec 2025 12:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/aiff-super-cup-final-old-rivals-east-bengal-fc-goa-eye-another-crown-651765.html Fatorda Goa Dec 6 Having clashed many times over the last few years East Bengal and FC Goa will be no strangers with each others players and tactics when they meet in the final of the AIFF Super Cup 202526 The winners of the past two editions East Bengal FC and FC Goa will meet in the summit clash at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda Goa on Sunday At stake will be a ticket to the AFC Champions League Two 202627 Preliminary Stage which is also on the line for the finalistsOn the eve of East Bengals second Super Cup final in the last three seasons their assistant coach Bino George and captain Saúl Crespo shared the excitement in the camp during the prematch press conference especially after narrowly missing out on silverware in the past few monthsâFirst of all it is a moment of pride for East Bengal Club players and our supporters A couple of months ago we lost the Durand Cup semifinal and later the IFA Shield final Now this is the time We are here to compete and fight for the cup said BinoCrespo added This is very important for us We are in a good moment Inside the dressing room we know the importance of the tournament for the club and us as players So were going to try to give everything We have been working very well in the last weeks and I think we are ready to compete and try to get the trophyâEast Bengal will have to make do without head coach Ãscar Bruzon in the final after he was sent off during their 31 semifinal win over Punjab FC But the plan remains intact according to BinoâCoach Ãscar has set all the plans We are prepared to play against FC Goa Today we will have a video session and we will show players the strong and weak points of Goa They know the responsibility and the priority and we will stick to the plan said the assistant coachThe recent meetings between East Bengal and Goa have all been close contests but with only one winner â the Gaurs They are on a sixmatch winning streak against the Red and Golds five of them with a onegoal margin However the last time they met outside the Indian Super League East Bengal ran out 10 winners in the 2018 Super Cup semifinalsâFC Goa are a good team and we respect them They are good with buildups Were focused on our preparations We arent just here to participate but to fight and become championsâ said BinoEast Bengal have never won against Goa in Fatorda so thats a piece of history Binos side will need to script if they are to become Super Cup champions again More East Bengal fans are expected to travel from Kolkata to Goa for the final and including the local support for FC Goa a vibrant atmosphere is anticipated on SundayFC Goa have a strong record in this stadium they have lost very few games here But we also have our fans In the semifinal we had a few fans here from Kolkata but I hope there will be more for the final Even in Odisha for the 2024 final we had a lot of support said BinoMidfielder Crespo who scored a penalty in that final in Bhubaneswar and also a stunning longrange strike in Thursdays semifinal will be eager to repeat these heroics and help his side win another Super CupHe said We are more than 100 per cent ready for this final I signed because the club wanted to create a big project and after two years you can see the work weve put in We have been training in the last few weeks with the same aim and now we have one game left to winI know Goas midfielders very well I played with Borja Herrera for example We know the quality but we have our plans and ideas I am happy to play against him in the final but when the referee blows the whistle hes not my friend Crespo addedIt will be a unique situation for Borja Herrera who won the 2024 Super Cup with East Bengal before transferring to FC Goa and winning the 2025 edition with the Gaurs Its a chance to win an unprecedented third Super Cup winners medal for both Borja and Crespo who won in 2023 with Odisha FC and 2024 with East BengalFC Goa will become the first club to win three Super Cup titles after 2019 and 2025 if they defend their title a feat that has never been achieved before in this competitionIn the prematch press conference head coach Manolo MÃrquez shared that every final carries the same excitement The excitement is always there when you play a final It doesnât matter if itâs twice or seven times Itâs a final and both teams will have the same excitement In fact we are the last two teams to win this trophy I think it will be a good finalâMidfielder Brison Fernandes has made a habit of scoring in crucial games for FC Goa recently He netted in the 21 semifinal win over Mumbai City and also scored a memorable goal against Al Nassr in the AFC Champions League Two earlier this season Playing at home he felt that the Gaurs would line up as favourites in Sundays finalHe said Playing at a higher level has helped me gain confidence and it showed on the pitch Of course I think so Goa will be the favourites And if we are together we will do just fine Iâm looking forward to enjoying this moment because itâs my second final in two seasons We will give our bestâComparatively FC Goa have arrived in a better rhythm courtesy of playing six highintensity games in the ACL Two against Al Zawraa Al Nassr Istiklol and Al Seeb so far this season But MÃrquez opined that rhythm and match fitness alone will not give his side an advantage in the finalâItâs true that theoretically it should be an advantage after playing more competitive games But on the other side for example in the semifinal we played a great first half but in the second half we were practically waiting for fulltime because Mumbai City without games and without many training sessions played better than us Football is crazy Weve seen that teams in the Durand Cup and Super Cup without many training sessions have done very wellI feel we were overconfident in the semifinal These things are dangerous in knockout matches You need high concentration for 90 95 120 minutes and even the penalty shootout MÃrquez addedDespite FC Goas impeccable record against East Bengal in the last six games the Gaurs head coach spoke of their opponents with high regard He said They have a strong squad this year And its not just the starters If you saw the bench the other day the team is very strong They can beat all opponents in the competitionWe will try to play a good game in our style But itâs a final and you have to control emotions be strong and avoid showing weaknesses Sometimes itâs about the details Yes we play at home and yes East Bengal will have some fans but obviously I prefer to play here than in KolkataâLike the semifinals FC Goa will again miss the presence of captain Sandesh Jhingan in defence as he is out with a calf injury But MÃrquez sounded confident placing full trust in his bench strength Striker Iker Guarrotxena who was shown a red card before the start of the semifinal will also be unavailable for the finalEveryone knows Sandesh is a very important player but we were without him the day before yesterday Everyone is important in the squad Iâm confident in Ronney Kharbudon Nim Dorjee Tamang and the players who can substitute him I donât think weâll win or lose because one player is missing If you lose 10 players maybe yes But not one said MÃrquez IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/aiff-super-cup-final-old-rivals-east-bengal-fc-goa-eye-another-crown-651765.html Sun, 07 Dec 2025 00:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/mexico-to-face-south-korea-at-home-as-fifa-unveil-2026-wirld-cup-draw-651718.html Washington Dec 6 The draw for the 2026 FIFA World Cup was conducted on Friday at John F Kennedy Center setting the stage for the first 48team edition of footballs biggest tournament With expanded group formats and an unprecedented number of matches across Canada Mexico and the United States the draw ceremony delivered several headlinegrabbing clashes Xunhua reportsFollowing the era of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have emerged as the two biggest stars in world football Their national teams France and Norway will meet early in the group stage after being drawn together in Group I Senegal one of Africas strongest sides adds further weight to the group The winner among Ukraine Sweden Poland and Albania from the European playoffs will complete what many are already calling a Group of DeathMorocco the surprise package of the last World Cup has been drawn with Brazil in Group C putting Scotland and Haiti in the group under significant pressureEngland and Croatia find themselves together in Group L a pairing of two sides widely considered capable of challenging for the title For Ghana and Panama progressing from this group will be a major challengeIf Italy advances through the European playoffs it will join Canada Qatar and Switzerland in Group B Which teams will advance from this group remains highly uncertainIn the opening match of the tournament Mexico will face South Africa on home soil South Korea is also in Group A alongside the winner of the playoff between Denmark North Macedonia the Czech Republic and IrelandFollowing is the draw in fullGroup A Mexico South Korea South Africa European playoff winner D DenmarkNorth MacedoniaCzech RepublicIrelandGroup B Canada Switzerland Qatar European playoff winner A ItalyNorthern IrelandWalesBosnia and HerzegovinaGroup C Brazil Morocco Scotland HaitiGroup D United States Australia Paraguay European playoff winner C TürkiyeRomaniaSlovakiaKosovoGroup E Germany Curacao Cote dIvoire EcuadorGroup F Netherlands Japan Tunisia European playoff winner B UkraineSwedenPolandAlbaniaGroup G Belgium Iran Egypt New ZealandGroup H Spain Uruguay Saudi Arabia Cape VerdeGroup I France Senegal Norway FIFA playoff Winner BoliviaSurinameIraqGroup J Argentina Austria Algeria JordanGroup K Portugal Colombia Uzbekistan FIFA playoff Winner New CaledoniaJamaicaDemocratic Republic of the CongoGroup L England Croatia Panama Ghana IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/mexico-to-face-south-korea-at-home-as-fifa-unveil-2026-wirld-cup-draw-651718.html Sat, 06 Dec 2025 08:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-barcelona-to-visit-betis-real-madrid-host-celta-in-la-liga-651552.html Madrid Dec 4 The race for the La Liga title continues at the weekend after FC Barcelona won at home to Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid returned to form in Bilbao in two midweek games brought forward due to the Spanish Supercup Barcelona were back to their best against Atletico but have a difficult away game on Saturday when Hansi Flicks side visits Real Betis Betis are fifth in the table unbeaten in four games and with their morale skyhigh after winning last weekends Seville derby 20 away to Sevilla Pablo Fornals is in excellent form for Manuel Pellegrinis side and Barcelona will again have to raise its gameFlick lost Dani Olmo with a dislocated shoulder in midweek and may be tempted to rest Pedri after the midfielder had to be taken off against Atletico due to muscle fatigue while the good news is that Frenkie de Jong is available again after injuryKylian Mbappe again made the difference as Real Madrid won 30 in Bilbao on Wednesday although Xabi Alonsos side produced a more solid display with Eder Militao Antonio Rudiger and Aurelien Tchouameni in the sideReal Madrid play their first home league game in a month in the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium with Celta Vigo the visiting sideCelta have had an inconsistent season with better results away from home than in front of their fans but it is still a big ask for Iago Aspas and company to win with Mbappe in such good formAthletic Bilbao and Atletico Madrid were the big midweek losers with Athletic ceding the game far too tamely against Real Madrid while Atletico dropped six points behind Barcelona with Tuesdays defeatTuesday also saw Diego Simeone lose Jose Gimenez Alex Baena and Johnny Cardoso to injury although that is nothing compared to Athletic Clubs injury list which includes Inaki Williams Benat Prados Robert Navarro Maroan Sannadi and Unai Egiluz Still Oihan Sancet will be back after serving a twogame banVillarreal are currently third in the table and although Marcelino Garcia Torals team made hard work of its Copa del Rey tie on Wednesday night the coach will make wholesale changes for Saturdays game at home to a Getafe side that never gives anything awayThe weekend kicks off with bottomside Oviedo desperately looking for a win at home to Mallorca Luis Carrion may have made Oviedo tighter in defense but he has yet to guide his side to a win since replacing Veljko Paunovic in OctoberThree consecutive defeats have seen Alaves drop towards the relegation zone ahead of Saturdays Basque derby against a Real Sociedad side whose unbeaten run was ended by Villarreal last weekendElche havent won any of their last seven matches in La Liga and could offer an opportunity for Girona to escape the bottom three although Girona have to forget their midweek Copa del Rey exit to lowly Ourense on Wednesday nightValencia entertain Sevilla in a clash between two big clubs fallen on hard times with Sevilla coach Matias Almeyda under pressure after four defeats in five games including last weekends painful derby loss to BetisThe round of matches ends on Monday and Osasuna coach Alessio Lisci needs a win when his side takes on Levante who still have to name a replacement for Julian Calero after his sacking last weekend The 17thplaced Osasuna have just 12 points and another defeat could see Lisci join Calero in looking for a new job IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-barcelona-to-visit-betis-real-madrid-host-celta-in-la-liga-651552.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 04:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-muller-family-rallies-as-thomas-prepares-for-mls-final-clash-with-messi-651558.html Berlin Dec 4 Excitement is running high in Thomas Mullers family this week While the 36yearold has already collected 35 titles in his career the chance to face Lionel Messi in Saturdays MLS Cup final between Inter Miami and the Vancouver Whitecaps stands out as a special moment for his father Gerhard The 70yearold is flying from Munich to Miami with his younger son Simon determined not to miss the occasionOnly Mullers wife Lisa will be absent as she competes at the Amadeus Horse Indoors dressage event in Salzburg She is in the middle of the dressage season it doesnt make sense Muller said adding that TVs are set up at home so she and other relatives can follow along reports XinhuaThe familys excitement has rubbed off on Muller himself The twotime UEFA Champions League winner and 2014 World Cup champion said few things compare to the thrill of going up against Messi Is there anything better than playing against the GOAT and beating him he said In the end we play a team of great quality and not a single playerSpeaking to his social media followers Muller reminded them that the job is not done yet One step is missingInter Miami enter the final as the favourite but the former Bayern Munich forward praised Vancouvers postseason grit Comebacks in extra time and successful penalty shootouts weve been through a lot together And confidence isnt just talk weve built that in a strong wayHe said a bit of Bayern spirit travels with him Its all about the trophy A semifinal is great but not the final goalMuller credited Vancouvers quality and resilience across the field stressing that mentality matters most Since joining the club a few months ago he has scored nine goals with four assists in 11 gamesHe also said he is proud of how the Whitecaps have energised supporters In the ice hockey nation of Canada you have to catch up as a football teamWith a 36th career title within reach and his family cheering from afar Muller said he isnt driven by adding to his trophy count Of course we will be fighting for the title but first we want to play good football Content comes before the result he said noting that his minor muscle issues should be healed before meeting Messi againHistory is on Mullers side as he has won seven of eight meetings with the Argentine including the 2014 World Cup final IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-muller-family-rallies-as-thomas-prepares-for-mls-final-clash-with-messi-651558.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 04:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-alexander-arnolds-problems-continue-with-serious-hamstring-injury-setback-for-real-madrid-651559.html Madrid Dec 4 Trent AlexanderArnolds injuryhit start to his Real Madrid career continues with the club confirming he suffered a serious hamstring injury during Wednesday nights 30 win away to Athletic Club Following tests carried out today on our player Trent AlexanderArnold by the Real Madrid Medical Services he has been diagnosed with a muscle injury in the rectus femoris of his left quadriceps informed the Real Madrid websiteAlthough the club fails to give a recovery date saying only his recovery will be monitored Spanish sports paper Diario AS reports the defender will be out of action for at least two monthsThat means he will miss La Liga games against Celta Vigo Deportivo Alaves Sevilla Real Betis Levante and Villarreal as well as the Spanish Supercup in Saudi Arabia and Real Madrids remaining Champions League group matches against Manchester City Monaco and BenficaAlexanderArnold has struggled with injuries since joining Real Madrid in June beginning with a muscle problem in July which delayed his preseason trainingHe then suffered a hamstring injury on September 16 which sidelined him for a month and he only began to start games on a regular basis following the recent international breakReal Madrids fears were wellfounded AlexanderArnold has a muscle tear in the back of his hamstring and is set for two months out of action as per Diario AS He will miss the Spanish Supercup the remainder of the league phase of the Champions League the Round of 32 and Round of 16 of the Copa del Rey and six Liga matches In Europe Los Blancos face Manchester City Benfica and AS Monaco while Atletico Madrid await in the Supercup semifinalIn La Liga Los Blancos take on Celta Vigo Alaves Sevilla Real Betis Levante and Villarreal as part of a potential 13 games that AlexanderArnold may miss Rayo Vallecano on the final weekend of January would be the earliest he could be back in action but it is most likely that their trip to Mestalla to face Valencia on the 7th or 8th of February marks his return IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-alexander-arnolds-problems-continue-with-serious-hamstring-injury-setback-for-real-madrid-651559.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 04:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-late-magassa-goal-helps-west-ham-hold-man-utd-to-1-1-draw-651588.html Manchester Dec 5 Soungoutou Magassaâs first goal for West Ham United salvaged a point in a 11 draw with Manchester United at Old Trafford United had chances throughout with Joshua Zirkzee seeing an effort cleared off the line before Bruno Fernandes hit a post in the first halfBut West Ham profited from a setpiece late on thanks to Magassaâs composed finish to ensure they did not leave Manchester emptyhanded Premier League reportsUnited missed the chance to move up to fifth but they did leapfrog Liverpool to go eighth West Ham meanwhile remain 18th two points behind Leeds United above themWest Ham started brightly but only had a sliced offtarget El Hadji Malick Diouf effort to show for their early pressure after he was left unmarked on a cornerBryan Mbeumo saw a dipping curler tipped over the crossbar by Alphonse Areola before Zirkzeeâs instinctive finish was cleared off the line by Aaron WanBissaka Fernandesâ volley on the rebound then scraped the left post on its way wideAt the other end Jarrod Bowen provided a threat on the counterattack He skipped past several challenges down the right only for his tame shot to deflect off Luke Shaw and into Senne Lammensâ glovesIn the 58th minute United found the breakthrough Casemiro was rushed into a shot on the edge of the box but it deflected to Dalot who took a touch before poking his effort into the bottomleft cornerBut the hosts failed to add to their tally and they were punished for it when an unmarked Magassa slotted in after Noussair Mazraoui had cleared Bowenâs flickon off the line from a corner seven minutes from timeUnited manager Ruben Amorim said after the draw âWe had good moments and we lost a little bit in the first half and a little bit in the second half after the goal We lost a little bit the control of the game We should have closed the game when we scored the first oneâ IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-late-magassa-goal-helps-west-ham-hold-man-utd-to-1-1-draw-651588.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 10:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/bayern-survive-union-scare-in-five-goal-dfb-cup-thriller-651446.html Berlin Dec 4 Bayern Munich battled into the DFB Cup quarterfinals with a dramatic 32 win at Union Berlin in a match shaped by two Union own goals two penalties and fierce late pressure Union backed by a raucous home crowd started aggressively but was punished from the first corner when Ilyas Ansah shinned a Joshua Kimmich corner into his own net Another Kimmich set piece brought the second as Harry Kane stooped to head home from close rangeThe hosts clawed their way back before the interval as a VAR check penalized Jonathan Tah for handball and Leopold Querfeld calmly sent Manuel Neuer the wrong way from the spot reports XinhuaDeep into firsthalf stoppage time Unions setpiece woes continued Under pressure at the far post Diogo Leite inadvertently looped an attempted clearance over goalkeeper Frederik Ronnow and into the top corner restoring Bayerns twogoal advantage at the breakThe drama hardly eased after the restart An early injury to Aleksandar Pavlovic forced Vincent Kompany into a reshuffle and Union seized the moment when Kane was whistled for a foul on Leite in the boxQuerfeld again converted confidently sparking a furious final halfhour in which Union poured forward and Bayern retreated ever deeperNeuer was called into action several times and Querfeld nearly completed an unlikely hattrick with a late header that flashed just wide but the record German champion held on to book its place in Februarys last eightIts a tough and unlucky defeat We earned real respect with our performance today but that doesnt help us now because were out of the competition said Union Berlin captain Rani KhediraI was pleased with our first half we did many things right The second half wasnt good from us but in the end I hope we come back to Berlin for the final said KompanyElsewhere in the round of 16 VfB Stuttgart booked its quarterfinal place with a 20 win in Bochum as Philipp Strompf scored an own goal and was sent off before Deniz Undav finished the job after the breakSC Freiburg also reached the quarterfinals beating Darmstadt 20 with Vincenzo Grifo involved in both goals despite missing a clear late chanceHamburg was knocked out by Holstein Kiel conceding a late equalizer in extra time before missing twice in a 42 penalty shootout defeat IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/bayern-survive-union-scare-in-five-goal-dfb-cup-thriller-651446.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 01:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-beat-brentford-leeds-stuns-chelsea-in-premier-league-651449.html London Dec 4 Mikel Merinos powerful header and Bukayo Sakas late strike gave Arsenal a 20 victory over Brentford to extend our unbeaten run to 18 matches in all competitions Merino kept up his scoring run with the opening goal in the 11th minute and although it was not until stoppage time that Bukayo Saka made the points safe Brentford failed to register a shot on target all gameGood linkup play between Noni Madueke and Ben White allowed the fullback to find the Merino who netted for the second game in a rowAs the game opened up late on Saka latched onto Merinos inchperfect through ball to make it 20 and move Arsenal five points clear at the top of the Premier League tableLeeds United stunned Chelsea with a 31 win at Elland Road with Jaka Bijol and Ao Tanaka putting Daniel Farkes side 20 up at halftimePedro Neto got Chelsea back into the game in the 50th minute but Dominic CalvertLewin sealed the win for Leeds in the 72nd minuteOllie Watkins scored twice as Aston Villa came back from 20 down to win a sevengoal thriller 43 away to Brighton and move thirdBrighton led 20 through Jan Paul van Hecke and a Pau Torres own goal but Watkins had pulled one back before the break Amadou Onana and Donyell Malen then looked to have assured the points by putting Aston Villa 42 ahead before Van Heckes second of the game gave Brighton some late hopeFlorian Wirtzs deflected shot saved a point for Liverpool in a 11 draw at home to Sunderland with the visitors impressing and taking the lead thanks to Chemsdine Talbis 67thminute goal after Virgil van Dijk got himself into troubleDaniel Munozs goal on the stroke of halftime gave Crystal Palace a 10 win away to a Burnley side that has now lost five consecutive gamesNottingham Forest took a big step away from the bottom three with a 10 win away to Wolverhampton Wanderers who remain rooted to the bottom with just two points all season IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-beat-brentford-leeds-stuns-chelsea-in-premier-league-651449.html Fri, 05 Dec 2025 01:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-real-madrid-need-to-improve-away-form-against-injury-hit-athletic-bilbao-651172.html Madrid Dec 3 Real Madrid need to end a worrying run of away results in La Liga when they visit injuryhit Athletic Bilbao on Wednesday The match is also brought forward due to the two sides playing in the Spanish Supercup in Saudi Arabia in January 2026 and will be played 24 hours after Barcelona host Atletico Madrid at the Camp Nou Sundays 11 draw in Girona Real Madrids third consecutive away league draw has again raised doubts over the future of Xabi Alonso but the coach will be happy to have Antonio Rudiger Eder Militao and Aurelien Tchouameni available againAthletic Bilbao has improved after some poor displays in the opening weeks of the season with a 00 draw in Prague followed by a 20 win away to Levante on Saturday reports XinhuaHowever coach Ernesto Valverde has a long list of absentees with inform Robert Navarro twisting an ankle on Saturday and leftback Yuri Berchiche withdrawing from Mondays training session with a physical problemThey join Inaki Williams Maroan Sannadi Benat Prados and Unai Egiluz on the sidelines while Yeray Alvarez and Oihan Sancet are suspended and Nico Williams ongoing pubalgia means he may not be able to start two games in a weekEarlier another poor display from Real Madrid saw Barcelona leapfrog Xabi Alonsos side in the title race after three consecutive draws away from home Alonsos side was disappointing again and was especially slow in moving the ball allowing Girona to defend solidly and limit the number of chancesThe draw meant that just three points separate Barcelona Real Madrid Villarreal and Atletico Madrid That is something that didnt seem likely when Real Madrid visited Atletico at the end of September with the chance to go 12 clear of its neighbor and virtually knock Atletico out of the title race but it has made the competition much more interesting IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-real-madrid-need-to-improve-away-form-against-injury-hit-athletic-bilbao-651172.html Wed, 03 Dec 2025 02:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/city-beat-fulham-in-9-goal-epic-as-haaland-seals-premier-league-ton-651193.html London Dec 3 Manchester City secured remarkable 54 win at Fulham that also saw Erling Haaland join the Premier League 100 club and Phil Foden bag another brilliant brace Haalandâs brilliant 16th minute opener at Craven Cottage saw the Norwegian who also twice struck the post become the quickest player in Premier League history to achieve the feat the 25yearold reaching the threefigure mark in just 111 games 13 quicker than previous record holder Alan ShearerTo get 100 Premier League goals is huge Iâm really proud Of course itâs a massive thing The 100 club is a nice thing to be in and Iâm happyI knew about this record and thatâs what I try to do try to help the team by scoring goals Thatâs my job said HaalandWith Pep Guardiolaâs side in sumptuous first half form Tijjani Reijnders 37 and Phil Foden 44 extended Cityâs lead before Emile Smith Roweâs first half injury time header narrowed the deficitHowever Foden struck again soon after the restart to claim a second successive brace with Jeremy Dokuâs deflected strike off Sander Berge then making it five on 54 minutesAt 51 up that should have been that Instead Fulham roared back staging a grandstand finish in what served as one of the most remarkable Premier League games in yearsIn what was a veritable goal frenzy Alex Iwobi a goal back for Fulham on 57 minutes before substitute Samuel Chuckwueze struck twice on 72 and 78 minutes to set up a frantic and nervy finaleHowever City held on Josko Gvardiol clearing off the line on 96 minutes with victory seeing Pep Guardiolaâs men narrow the gap on Arsenal to two points though the Gunners have a game in handThe victory moves City to within two points of leaders Arsenal who are not in action until tomorrow nightThe Blues now have 28 points from 14 games The Gunners have 30 from 13 matches and they play host to Brentford tomorrow evening IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/city-beat-fulham-in-9-goal-epic-as-haaland-seals-premier-league-ton-651193.html Wed, 03 Dec 2025 09:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/winger-bede-amarachi-osuji-joins-punjab-fc-ahead-of-super-cup-semis-650785.html Mohali Nov 29 Punjab FC have bolstered its attack with the signing of Bede Amarachi Osuji for the remainder of the 2025â26 season The 29yearold joins on a free transfer after his latest stint with Manisa FK in Turkey and will be available for selection ahead of the AIFF Super Cup semifinal vs East Bengal FC on December 4 The Nigerian winger brings a wealth of European experience He began his professional journey in Slovenia with ND Gorica where he spent seven seasons making 137 appearances and scoring 23 goals During that period he also featured on loan for NK Brda and NK TolminIn 2020 he moved to Israel to represent Hapoel Raanana before returning to Slovenia to play for NK Koper His time with Koper was highly productive as he struck 19 goals in 81 matches and lifted the Slovenian Cup in the 2021â22 season That triumph also took the club to the UEFA Conference League qualifiers Last season Osuji featured for Manisa FK in Turkey scoring four goals in 28 appearances while sharing the pitch with current Punjab FC midfielder Daniel RamirezSpeaking after signing with the club Osuji said This move to Punjab FC isnt just a new challenge but also a massive opportunity for my career I am absolutely fired up to inject my best experience and relentless desire into this team I see massive potential and ambition here and I am confident that we will take our game to the next level this seasonPunjab FC Technical Director Nikolaos Topoliatis described the signing as an essential addition to the squad He said Osuji embodies the energy and determination of the Sher mentality His incredible pace and vast experience make him an invaluable weapon and his drive is relentless We have total confidence that he will be an absolute catalyst taking our attacking unit and our overall aspirations to the next level IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/winger-bede-amarachi-osuji-joins-punjab-fc-ahead-of-super-cup-semis-650785.html Sat, 29 Nov 2025 14:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/fc-goa-travel-to-iraq-for-crucial-clash-against-al-zawraa-sc-in-afc-champions-league-two-650342.html Baghdad Iraq Nov 25 FC Goa return to continental duty with a highstakes trip to Baghdad where they face Al Zawraa SC in a crucial AFC Champions League Two Group D fixture The match at the AlZawraa Stadium carries significant weight for both sides With four matches played Goa enter this contest knowing their chances of progressing are slim but still alive and winning both of their remaining games is the only way to stay in the race Al Zawraa too find themselves in a mustwin situation setting the stage for a tense competitive night in West AsiaWhile Goa havenât had as many competitive minutes recently as their opponents the team has trained with purpose and kept their preparation consistent Their sharp performances in the Super Cup before the break including wins over Jamshedpur FC and Inter Kashi showed what the squad is capable of when they hit their strideHead coach Manolo MÃrquez emphasised the teamâs mindset and the approach they intend to take âItâs just the fifth game of the competition and we still have small chances to qualify if we win both matches We know Al Zawraa also needs to win so it will be a difficult game But weâve prepared for this like any other match Our intent is always to win not to sit back and weâll give it our allâFor Goa this match is not only a mustwin but also an opportunity to secure their first points of the group stage before returning home for their final fixture in December A strong result in Baghdad would inject belief and momentum into their campaign at the perfect momentWinger Udanta Singh spoke about the teamâs experience on the continental stage and the desire to finish their away schedule on a high âTo be honest itâs a great experience facing some great teams in Asia Itâs the last game of our away matches so we want to finish strong for our last away group gameâAs the Gaurs step onto the pitch under the Baghdad lights the task is clear fight with intent embrace the challenge and keep their hopes alive for one more decisive night back home in Goa IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/fc-goa-travel-to-iraq-for-crucial-clash-against-al-zawraa-sc-in-afc-champions-league-two-650342.html Wed, 26 Nov 2025 02:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/east-bengal-bow-out-of-afc-womens-champions-league-after-defeat-to-nasaf-650025.html Wuhan China Nov 23  East Bengal FC were eliminated from the AFC Womenâs Champions League 202526 group stage after suffering a 03 defeat to PFC Nasaf of Uzbekistan in their concluding Group B tie on Sunday The win moved the Uzbekistan side to second place with four points guaranteeing them a spot in the quarterfinals alongside toppers Wuhan Jiangda Womens FC of China PR East Bengal ended their debut campaign in third place with three points while IR Irans Bam Khatoon FC finished at the bottom also with three pointsIn the best thirdplaced teams rankings Korea Republics Suwon FC qualified from Group C with four points alongside Philippines Stallion Laguna FC with three points Although the latter were level with East Bengal on goal difference the Indian side had fewer goals scored which knocked them out of the last eightThe Moshal Girls had earlier defeated Bam Khatoon FC 31 and lost to Wuhan Jiangda Womens FC 02Nasaf controlled the game from the opening whistle with Nilufar Kudratova driving into the box in the fifth minute but taking just too long to make up her mind allowing Anoma Opoku to close her downThe Nasaf captain was more decisive in the 18th minute with the same run into the box this time picking out Diyorakhon Khabibullaeva for the tapinThe goal lifted pressure off the Uzbekistan side as they started to play flowing football with only the crossbar denying efforts from Zarina Mamatkarimova and Gulzoda AmirovaOn the backfoot for much of the first half East Bengal finally managed a shot on target in the 39th minute but Fazila Ikwaputs freekick was well read by Nasaf custodian Maftuna JonimqulovaNasaf kept a tight grip on the game after the interval extending their lead after seven minutes through Zarina Norboeva who was at the right place at the right time to steer home Lyudmila Karachikâs crossEast Bengal had an opportunity to pull a goal back in the 61st minute after Amnah Nababi played Soumya Guguloth through on goal but the latter struck the ball straight at JonimqulovaThe bar came to East Bengalâs rescue for the third time in the match in the 66th minute after another Karachikâs cross after an excellent dribble was flicked on by Khabibullaeva past Elangbam Panthoi Chanu only to be denied by the woodworkNasaf put the seal on an impressive performance with a third deep into stoppage time Panthoi saving Karachikâs initial attempt but could do nothing to stop Khabibullaeva on the followupEast Bengals attention will now turn to the inaugural edition of the SAFF Club Womens Championship scheduled to be held from December 5 to 20 in Kathmandu Nepal IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/east-bengal-bow-out-of-afc-womens-champions-league-after-defeat-to-nasaf-650025.html Mon, 24 Nov 2025 00:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrids-lead-cut-to-one-point-with-elche-draw-in-la-liga-650057.html Madrid Nov 24 Real Madrids lead at the top of La Liga was cut to one point after a 22 draw in a chaotic game away to Elche on Sunday All of the goals came in the second half with Aleix Febas putting Elche ahead after getting in behind Trent AlexanderArnold eight minutes into the second half reports XinhuaDean Huijsen headed Real Madrid level in the 78th minute but Elche was back ahead again six minutes later when Alvaro Rodriguez cut inside to beat goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois with a low shotJude Bellingham saved a point for Real Madrid with an 87thminute tapin after good work from Kylian Mbappe and Huijsen with Elche asking for a foul from Vinicius Jr on goalkeeper Inaki Pena which the VAR did not giveThe home side ended the game with 10 men as Victor Chust was sent off in the 96th minuteAtletico Madrid won 10 away to Getafe whose defender Domingos Duarte deflected Giacomo Raspadoris cross into his own netMauro Arambarri hit the bar for Getafe in injury time as Atletico rode its luck to claim a fifth consecutive league winReal Betis unveiled a massive tifo in the stand ahead of its 11 draw at home to Girona to announce that attacking midfielder Isco had agreed a new contract with the club although the game was a disappointment for home fans as Girona battled to a pointVladislav Vanat put Girona ahead in the 20th minute and although Valentin Gomez saved a point for Betis the game ended in frustration when Antony saw a direct red card after kicking Girona defender Joel Roca in the head while trying an overhead kick a card that means he will miss next weekends derby against SevillaOviedo remains bottom of the table after a 00 home draw against Rayo VallecanoBoth sides ended with 10 men after Ilyas Chaira was sent off early in the second half while Rayos Pathe Ciss was given his marching orders in injury time IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrids-lead-cut-to-one-point-with-elche-draw-in-la-liga-650057.html Mon, 24 Nov 2025 10:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-champs-liverpool-go-down-to-nottingham-neto-enzo-help-chelsea-beat-burnley-649948.html London Nov 23 Reigning champions Liverpool went down 30 against Nottingham Forest at Anfield while former champions Chelsea continued their superb record at Turf Moor as they rode on goals by Pedro Neto and Enzo Fernandez to win a hardfought contest 20 at Burnley here on Saturday Liverpool were beaten 30 by Nottingham Forest in a clash at Anfield with Murillo opening the scoring against the run of play on 33 minutes to put the visiting team in front Nicolo Savona then added to their tally immediately after halftime and Morgan GibbsWhite later netted to consign the reigning champions to defeatThe Blues made some clear opportunities before Neto scored meeting a superb delivery from Jamie Gittens with a diving header in the 36th minute scoring his third goal in his last five starts in the process Neto came close to scoring a second when he struck the woodwork on the hour while Burnleyâs Martin Dubravka saved from substitute Malo Gusto as we sought to put the game to bedZian Flemming wasted the Claretsâ best chance and though they applied some late pressure Enzo struck from close range with a couple of minutes remaining to seal a third straight victory for Chelsea in the league without concedingThe Blues had defending to do in the opening quarterhour Trevoh Chalobah Santos and Tosin all made important blocks as the Clarets threatened on the flanks through Jaidon Anthony and Loum Tchaouna Santos in particular enjoyed an excellent first half mopping upChelsea looked most dangerous in transition in the early stages One fast break ended with Liam Delap shooting high and wide when a pass to either Neto or Gittens was onBoth teams were working the ball into good areas but were unable to apply the finishing touch On one such occasion shortly after the halfhour mark Delap turned excellently and freed Neto whose teasing low centre was intercepted by Kyle Walker before Gittens could convertHowever those two combined for the opening goal in the 37th minute and the course of the match changed after that though Burnley had their chancesIn other matches played on Saturday Crystal Palace defeated Wolverhampton Wanderers 20 while Fulham defeated Sunderland 10 at home and Brighton overcame Brentford 21 in another home encounter IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-champs-liverpool-go-down-to-nottingham-neto-enzo-help-chelsea-beat-burnley-649948.html Sun, 23 Nov 2025 02:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-bayern-preparing-for-champions-leagues-crunch-time-649764.html Berlin Nov 21 Bayern Munich are approaching the end of 2025 with eight matches remaining including Saturdays Bundesliga game against Freiburg and the UEFA Champions League showdown against former England champions Arsenal next Wednesday The Bavarians are facing key contract extensions the return of longterm injured players Alphonso Davies and Hiroki Ito and a league recordJapanese international Ito might get some playing time this weekend after an eightmonth break due to a broken foot while Canadian international Davies is slowly returning to regular training from a torn cruciate ligamentIto and Davies are expected to rejoin the team possibly for a limited time Coach Vincent Kompany announced a cautious return emphasising that he is taking no risks reports XinhuaThis weekend Bayerns negotiations with defender Dayot Upamecano winger Serge Gnabry and midfielder Leon Goretzka dominate the headlinesKompany required thoughtful actions as the team prepares for the Champions Leagues crunch time next springBayern seems to be in full force to secure a new contract for Upamecano Recently club president Herbert Hainer visited the training ground to confirm the clubs strong interest and assess the players intentions He is happy at our side and I am optimistic we get things done Hainer saidMedia reports mention several leading European clubs including Real Madrid and Paris SaintGermain joining the race for the Frenchman while FC Barcelona Liverpool Inter Milan and Chelsea are said to have only minor chancesWith all 15 internationals returning from international action without injury Kompany prepares for the restartBoard member Uli Hoeness praised the coachs achievements saying the team the fans we have funIn past years starting from the 1980s everyone hoped the games would end quickly Now we hope they will be played forever he addedIn the Champions League 202526 Germanys most prominent club Bayern Munich have so far defeated Club Brugge 40 and beat Paris SaintGermain 21 in an away match IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-bayern-preparing-for-champions-leagues-crunch-time-649764.html Sat, 22 Nov 2025 01:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/afc-womens-champions-league-east-bengal-beaten-02-by-defending-champions-wuhan-jiangda-649531.html Wuhan China Nov 20 Wang Shuangâs firsthalf brace steered defending champions Wuhan Jiangda Womenâs FC of China to a 20 victory over East Bengal FC in their AFC Womenâs Champions League 202526 Group B fixture on Thursday East Bengal who defeated IR Irans Bam Khatoon FC 31 in their first game can still advance to the quarterfinals if they avoid defeat by more than two goals against Uzbekistans PFC Nasaf on November 23Wuhan Jiangdaâs early pressure nearly paid off in the seventh minute when Deng Mengye burst through off Wang Shuangâs through ball but drove her shot from the right into East Bengal goalkeeper Elangbam Panthoi ChanuBut the Moshal Girls conceded a minute later when Wang Shuang met Song Feis cross from the left sneaking the ball past a sprawling Panthoi The pressure told on East Bengal when they conceded a penalty following a VAR review after Panthoi brought Wang Shuang inside the box with the 2018 AFC Womenâs Footballer of the Year making no mistake from the spot in the 17th minuteEast Bengal had a chance to reduce the deficit but Soumya Guguloth blazed her shot over the bar in the 23rd minute while Panthoi did enough to prevent Mavis Owusu from advancing after Wang Shuang had slipped a welltimed through ball Panthoi continued to frustrate Wuhan Jiangda in the second half with a pointblank save in the 56th minute to deny Owusu before thwarting Kim Hyeri in the 61st minute following Deng Mengyeâs layoffThe East Bengal custodian continued to be a thorn in Wuhan Jiangdaâs side as she kept out Deng Mengye and later stopped Owusu in her tracks with a fine tackle in the 73rd minuteA lapse in concentration in the 77th minute by Wuhan Jiangda nearly gave East Bengal a chance when Soumya Guguloth sent Sushmita Lepcha through on goal only for the midfielder to strike a wayward shot at the end summing up their frustrating evening IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/afc-womens-champions-league-east-bengal-beaten-02-by-defending-champions-wuhan-jiangda-649531.html Fri, 21 Nov 2025 01:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/india-name-23-man-squad-for-afc-u17-asian-cup-2026-qualifiers-649666.html Ahmedabad Nov 21 India U17 mens head coach Bibiano Fernandes has named a 23member squad for the AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 Qualifiers beginning Saturday at the EKA Arena in Ahmedabad India will face Palestine November 22 Chinese Taipei November 26 Lebanon November 28 and Islamic Republic of Iran November 30 The group winners will qualify for the final tournament in Saudi Arabia next year which will act as the qualification pathway for the FIFA U17 World Cup Qatar 2026Group A will see hosts China PR Bangladesh Bahrain Brunei Darussalam TimorLeste and Sri Lanka doing battle while Group B will be contested by 2002 runnersup Yemen Laos hosts Kyrgyz Republic Cambodia Guam and PakistanThe Group C challenge will involve hosts Vietnam Malaysia Singapore Hong Kong China Northern Mariana Islands and MacauAustralia headline Group E with 2016 winners Iraq Philippines Jordan hosts and Bhutan standing in their way while Thailand hosts Kuwait Turkmenistan Mongolia and Maldives will vie for the automatic spot from Group FGroup G will see twotime winners Oman Afghanistan Myanmar hosts Syria and Nepal going head to head AFC U17 Asian Cup will be contested on May 7 to 24 2026Indias 23member squad for AFC U17 Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2026 QualifiersGoalkeepers Manashjyoti Baruah Maroof Shafi Rajrup SarkarDefenders Abhishek Kumar Mondal Ankur Rajbagh Indra Rana Magar Korou Meitei Konthoujam Lawmsangzuala Md Aimaan Bin Shubham PooniaMidfielders Dallalmuon Gangte Denny Singh Wangkhem Diamond Singh Thokchom Mukundo Singh Ningthoujam Nitishkumar Meitei Yengkhom Thonggoumong TouthangForwards Aazim Parveez Najar Azlaan Shah Kh Gunleiba Wangkheirakpam Heeranganba Seram Jasir Khan Lesvin Rebelo Rahan Ahmed IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/india-name-23-man-squad-for-afc-u17-asian-cup-2026-qualifiers-649666.html Fri, 21 Nov 2025 16:28:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-real-madrids-militao-out-for-at-least-two-weeks-with-groin-injury-649388.html Madrid Spain Nov 19 Real Madrid will be without central defender Eder Militao for two busy weeks after the club confirmed on Wednesday that he has suffered a groin injury Militao suffered the injury after an hour of Brazils friendly match against Tunisia on Tuesday Real Madrid said on its official website Following tests carried out today Eder Militao has been diagnosed with a muscular injury to the adductor magnus in his right leg Further updates will follow read a club statementAlthough Real Madrid did not give a comeback date Spanish sports paper Diario AS estimated Militao will be out of action for at least two weeks missing La Liga games against Elche Girona and Athletic Club and a Champions League game against Olympiakos reports XinhuaMilitao will also be a doubt for another La Liga match against Celta Vigo and a key European tie against Manchester City on December 10Real Madrid are still without German defender Antonio Rudiguer while Dani Carvajal is sidelined after a knee operationEarlier Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen was released from the Spain squad and missed Tuesdays World Cup qualifying game against Türkiye due to muscle discomfortThe injury had already sidelined Huijsen from Spains 40 win away to Georgia on Saturday which all but assured the reigning European champions of direct qualification for next years World Cup in the United States Mexico and CanadaDean Huijsen has been withdrawn from the squad for Spains final 2026 World Cup qualifier against Türkiye due to muscle discomfort that also prevented him from playing against Georgia a situation his club has been kept informed ofAs is customary and prioritising the players health and wellbeing the Spanish Football Federation has decided to release him from the squad the RFEF said in a statementThese two recent developments exacerbate Real Madrids problems after they were held to a 00 draw away to Rayo Vallecano dropping points in La Liga for just the second time this season Xabi Alonsos side failed to create clear chances after its midweek Champions League defeat to Liverpool while Rayo pressed effectively to keep the leaders at bay and limit Kylian MbappeRayos display drew extra credit given that the side coached by Inigo Perez played a UEFA Conference League match on Thursday night and had just 65 hours 48 fewer than Real Madrid between that fixture and Sundays kickoff IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-real-madrids-militao-out-for-at-least-two-weeks-with-groin-injury-649388.html Thu, 20 Nov 2025 06:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/lauren-hemp-returns-to-england-womens-football-squad-649229.html London Nov 18 England forward Lauren Hemp has returned to the national squad for the first time since Euro 2025 after recovering from an ankle injury while fellow attacker Lauren James has been left out despite recently returning to club action Hemp 25 was sidelined for two months but made successful comeback appearances for Manchester City in their wins over Everton and Manchester United convincing Sarina Wiegman to recall her for the upcoming international friendlies against China and Ghana on November 29 and December 2James however has yet to start for Chelsea this season following the ankle problem she sustained in the Euro 2025 final win over Spain and despite substitute outings against St Polten and Liverpool has not been deemed ready for England dutyWiegman named a 25player squad featuring a mix of returning faces and new opportunities West Ham defender Anouk Denton retains her place after being named in last monthâs squad while there is a first senior callup for Freya Godfrey the London City Lionesses forward who has impressed in the WSL this seasonManchester City midfielder Grace Clinton also returns after withdrawing from Octoberâs fixtures with a minor injury Gotham FC defender Jess Carter has been given time to rest following the NWSL playoffs but Washington Spirit centreback Esme Morgan is included despite playing in Saturdayâs 20 win over Portland ThornsChelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton misses out with a thigh injury days after winning the Yashin Trophy for best goalkeeper at the Ballon dâOr awards and amid headlines sparked by Mary Earpsâ criticism of her in a new autobiographySeveral key players remain unavailable including Euros breakout forward Michelle Agyemang ruled out after suffering an ACL tear in last monthâs win over Australia as well as captain Leah Williamson Alex Greenwood and teenager Katie Reid all recovering from knee or ACL injuriesSquadGoalkeepers Khiara Keating Anna Moorhouse and Sophie BaggaleyDefenders Lucy Bronze Lotte WubbenMoy Niamh Charles Maya Le Tissier Esme Morgan Taylor Hinds Grace Fisk and Anouk DentonMidfielders Grace Clinton Ella Toone Georgia Stanway Keira Walsh Laura Blindkilde Brown Missy Bo Kearns and Lucia KendellForwards Beth Mead Chloe Kelly Aggie BeeverJones Alessia Russo Lauren Hemp Freya Godfrey and Jess Park IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/lauren-hemp-returns-to-england-womens-football-squad-649229.html Wed, 19 Nov 2025 01:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/morsalin-strike-sinks-india-as-winless-run-extends-to-five-in-asian-cup-qualifiers-649286.html Dhaka Nov 18 India suffered a 01 defeat in their AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027 Qualifiers Group C match against hosts Bangladesh at the National Stadium in Dhaka on Tuesday A firsthalf goal by Shekh Morsalin 12â was enough to see the home side take the three points though the Blue Tigers mounted a barrage of attacks on Bangladesh in the second half Singapore who defeated Hong Kong China 21 earlier in the day in Hong Kong sealed the groups top spot with 11 points and qualified for the Asian Cup Hong Kong are in second place with eight points Bangladesh and India are third and fourth with five and two points respectivelyLallianzuala Chhangte played his 50th international match on Tuesday while India head coach Khalid Jamil handed debuts to Mohammed Sanan and Lalremtluanga Fanai bringing the two on from the benchAfter a seesaw start at the National Stadium Bangladesh broke with speed on the counter having cleared an India long throw Rakib Hossain hared down the left and sent a low centre to an unmarked Morsalin who slipped it past India goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh SandhuIndia were taken by surprise but soon regained composure and began to construct their attacks Suresh Singh Wangjam scuffed a 17thminute shot from outside the box after latching onto a clearance while Nikhil Prabhu had his longrange effort blocked soon afterIndiaâs best chance came just after the halfhour mark when striker Rahim Ali did well to close down Bangladesh goalkeeper Mitul Marma and win the ball The India forward played it back to Macarton Louis Nickson who laid it off to Lallianzuala Chhangte for a crack at an empty goal However Bangladesh midfielder Hamza Choudhury intervened putting his head in the way of the shotThe Blue Tigers grew in confidence and their attacks showed as much Anwar Ali connected well with a Chhangte corner in the 35th minute but it was cleared once again Minutes later Anwar was involved again when he flicked on a Rahul Bheke long throw for Rahim who attempted an outrageous backvolley only to scuff the effortChoudhury produced a volley on the stroke of halftime against the run of play but sent it just wide of the postIndia came out with more intent in the second half as Jamil introduced Mahesh Singh Naorem in place of Prabhu The substitution brought immediate impact with Mahesh using his creativity to trouble the Bangladesh defenceSuresh whipped a freekick from the left into the box which was headed goalwards by Bheke with Rahim waiting at the goalmouth to turn it in However Bangladeshâs defenders managed to clear the danger before the heavily guarded forward could reach the ballThe introduction of Sanan created further opportunities for India as the winger used his trickery and awareness on the left flank Receiving a pass from Rahim in the 66th minute Sanan dummied his marker to cut inside and shoot but his effort was savedA minute later the winger hung a beautiful cross from the left towards an unmarked Brison Fernandes who headed wide With around 15 minutes left Sanan had yet another opportunity when the ball fell kindly to him after a melee at a corner The 21yearold volleyed it with his sidefoot aiming for the bottom corner but Marma was alert and tipped it awayAmid the array of Indian attacks Bangladesh looked to create a few counters of their own and came close to doubling their lead in the 79th minute when Topu Barmanâs strike from outside the box was collected by a diving GurpreetAs Bangladesh searched for a twogoal cushion India launched counterattacks of their own One such move in the 84th minute saw Vikram Partap Singh and Brison Fernandes charge at the Bangladesh area Vikram who had possession was pulled back though play continuedDespite a frantic finish the Bangladesh defence held firm to secure the three points against the Blue TigersIndia will face Hong Kong in their last AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round match on March 31 2026 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/morsalin-strike-sinks-india-as-winless-run-extends-to-five-in-asian-cup-qualifiers-649286.html Wed, 19 Nov 2025 02:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/tuchel-to-reach-out-to-sidelined-players-over-england-recall-649185.html New Delhi Nov 18 England boss Thomas Tuchel says he plans to reach out to players whoâve recently fallen out of the squad outlining how they can work their way back into his plans ahead of next years World Cup A number of big names including Real Madridâs Trent AlexanderArnold and Evertonâs Jack Grealish were omitted from the squad for the latest qualifiers against Serbia and Albania Jude Bellingham was also left out of the October fixtures versus Wales and LatviaEngland went on to defeat Serbia 2â0 at home before securing another 2â0 win in Albania on Sunday completing a perfect qualifying campaign eight wins from eight with no goals conceded to top Group KFirst of all its my job now to make contact with everyone players like Trent Tuchel told reporters after the win over Albania Players that are on our long list 55 60 players to reach out to them be in touch with them explain to them why they were not hereExplain to them what they have to do where they can improve Can they even do something or is it just a choice So this is my job for the next weeks and monthsTuchel said heâs also willing to travel to club training bases for group discussions with players noting that he values inperson conversations because they help him better read their reactionsWe can do group visits We can do Jude and Trent And visit the clubs And some of them we will call the 52yearold saidEngland are set for another training camp during the March international window before the German coach finalises his World Cup squad The tournament is scheduled to run from June 11 to July 19 across Canada Mexico and the United States IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/tuchel-to-reach-out-to-sidelined-players-over-england-recall-649185.html Wed, 19 Nov 2025 00:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/blue-tigers-brace-for-fierce-and-competitive-game-in-bangladesh-648941.html Dhaka Nov 16 The Indian senior menâs team arrived in Dhaka on Saturday evening three days before their AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round match against the hosts Despite both teams being out of contention for qualification Blue Tigers goalkeeper Gurpreet Singh Sandhu said that the rivalry will remain intact âIt wonât change the competitiveness or the fierceness of the game Itâs always a big game for them and for the people of Bangladesh because itâs against Indiaâ said Sandhu who has played three matches against the neighbours at the senior level in the pastâWe need to be prepared mentally and physically because itâs always a tough game It might not be the nicest game to watch It might be scrappy and we as a team need to be ready for any challenge We need to be tough out there when we face themâ Sandhu addedDefender Sandesh Jhingan who captained India when these two sides last met in Marchâs reverse fixture in Shillong said âOur expectations are very simple Play to our full potential and stick to the system for as long as we can during the game If we can do that the rest will follow Weâll work hard and hopefully get a win this timeâWinger Lallianzuala Chhangte is the only player in the current squad who has represented the Blue Tigers on Bangladeshi soil before â that was in the 2018 SAFF Championship where he scored one goalBut Jhingan and Sandhu have played in Bangladesh before for Indian agegroup teams and Bengaluru FCJhingan recalled âIâve played here before with the Under23s during the AFC U23 Championship qualifiers in 2015 and also at club level The people of Bangladesh love watching football and they support their team really well We played at the same stadium where we will play this game the National Stadium in DhakaâJhingan and Sandhu were teammates in Bengaluru FC when they suffered a 02 loss to Abahani Limited Dhaka in the 2017 AFC Cup But ultimately the Indian club prevailed as group toppers and qualified for the knockout roundSandhu who was also part of the India U23 squad for the 2010 South Asian Games in Dhaka said âThe experience over here has always been a learning one You know itâs not an easy place to come because itâs very competitive Being our neighbours the team here wants to do well against us and give us a tough time That has been my experience with the national team and also with club football whenever we have visited in the pastâBut yeah that was a long time ago Bangladesh have developed their infrastructure and invested heavily Their love for football has grown and the national team is also doing betterâThe Indian team on Saturday was received with full security arrangements at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport coordinated by the Bangladesh Football Federation BFF and the local police The team bus was led by a police escort to their hotel and the Blue Tigers have continued with their training schedule as planned The Indian team remain inside a strict security bubble to protect them although they have not faced issues of any natureâI would like to thank the Bangladesh federation for the warm hospitality since we arrived Theyâve been really kind and helpful We were briefed before coming here But I trust the Indian High Commission and the local authorities with everything We as athletes are only focused on putting our best foot forward while playing Sport is something that unites people and I hope this game can also unite and bring a good feeling So far weâve felt fineâ Jhingan saidSandhu concurred âWe were aware of the domestic situation here Itâs obviously not a very ideal one But we are here to play football and thatâs all on our mind Since arriving yesterday we havenât felt unsafe So far itâs been good â everything has been very well organised We just need to focus on what we have ahead of us and what we have to do on the pitchâKhalid Jamilâs men had an activation session on Sunday morning followed by an afternoon training session They will have an official training session at the National Stadium on Monday The match will kick off at 1930 IST on Tuesday and will be streamed live on FanCode IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/blue-tigers-brace-for-fierce-and-competitive-game-in-bangladesh-648941.html Mon, 17 Nov 2025 02:24:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenals-gabriel-ruled-out-after-thigh-injury-on-brazil-duty-648958.html London Nov 16 Arsenal defender Gabriel has been ruled out of action after sustaining a muscle injury in his right thigh the Brazilian Football Confederation CBF confirmed on Sunday The setback occurred during Brazilâs friendly match against Senegal played at Arsenalâs home ground in North London where the centreback was forced off the pitch after experiencing discomfort The 27yearold has been a central figure in Arsenalâs defensive setup this season featuring in every Premier League game as the Gunners sit four points clear at the top of the table However his latest injury means he will not join the national squad for their next international friendly against Tunisia in Lille on Tuesday The CBF while confirming his withdrawal did not specify the duration of his potential absence leaving both club and country awaiting further medical evaluationThis is not the first time Gabriel has battled fitness issues this year A hamstring injury in April kept him sidelined for more than three months and Arsenal will be wary of rushing him back given the demanding run of fixtures ahead The Gunners face crucial Premier League clashes against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea later this month followed by a significant Champions League encounter at home against Bayern Munich on November 26 His absence presents a major concern for manager Mikel Arteta especially with the squad already dealing with multiple injuriesGabrielâs setback adds to Arsenalâs growing list of unavailable defenders Italian international Riccardo Calafiori also picked up an injury while on national duty as confirmed by Italy coach Gennaro Gattuso Meanwhile the club continues to cope with injuries to attackers Kai Havertz Viktor Gyokeres Noni Madueke Gabriel Martinelli and captain Martin OdegaardThere is some positive news at the club though with forward Gabriel Jesus returning to training after recovering from a cruciate ligament injury suffered in January though he has yet to make a competitive appearance IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenals-gabriel-ruled-out-after-thigh-injury-on-brazil-duty-648958.html Mon, 17 Nov 2025 02:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/uruguay-to-test-depth-against-mexico-us-648756.html Mexico City Nov 15 Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa said Friday that the absences of Darwin Nunez and Federico Valverde will not greatly impact his team in friendlies against Mexico and the United States AlHilal striker Nunez was ruled out of the matches due to a knee injury while Real Madrid midfielder Valverde is sidelined with a hamstring strain reports XinhuaIt would have been nice to have both of them with us but the fact they are not here will not be an obstacle for us Bielsa told reporters adding that Uruguays depth of talent had been one of its strengths since he took charge of the Celeste in May 2023We have played 18 World Cup qualifiers since I arrived and seven Copa America games so the mutual understanding within our team is already solid the 70yearold Argentine saidUruguay will meet Mexico in Torreon on Saturday and the United States in Tampa on Tuesday The games will provide one of the last opportunities for Bielsa to assess his squad before next years World Cup in the United States Mexico and CanadaThe Celeste booked a place in the tournament by finishing fourth in South Americas 10team qualifying groupBielsa said most of his World Cup squad had already been decided but left open the possibility of late additionsThere are only a few players I have not evaluated and seeing new faces is always a step forward a chance to add something especially when you have the opportunity to face two opponents like the ones we will face he saidThe idea is to repeat as few players as possible across the two games taking advantage of the fact that they are matches of a level similar to a World Cup I know Mexico and the United States have significant absences but even so having these two games is a great opportunity IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/uruguay-to-test-depth-against-mexico-us-648756.html Sat, 15 Nov 2025 11:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/turkiye-bans-102-footballers-over-widening-betting-scandal-648712.html Ankara Turkiye Nov 14 Turkiyes football authorities have handed temporary bans to 102 professional players as part of a widening investigation into illegal betting activities in the country The Professional Football Disciplinary Board of the Turkish Football Federation TFF on Thursday suspended 25 players from the Super Lig and 77 from the secondtier First League with punishments ranging from 45 days to 12 months The investigation reviewed allegations against 1024 footballers of whom 102 were sanctionedAmong the most notable cases is Galatasaray and Turkish national team defender Eren Elmali who was banned for 45 days and removed from the national team squad reports XinhuaEarlier this week Elmali admitted on Instagram to placing a bet on a football match approximately five years ago but said it did not involve his own team He joined Galatasaray earlier this yearHis teammate Metehan Baltaci who plays for Türkiyes Under21 team received a ninemonth suspension Konyaspors Alassane Ndao was handed the longest ban of 12 monthsThe TFF stressed that players who have been provisionally referred to the disciplinary board are not permitted to play in matches during the ongoing investigationDue to the scale of the investigation the TFF announced that matches in the Second and Third Leagues have been postponed for two weeks but Super Lig and First League matches will continue as scheduled The federation also revealed that it has initiated urgent talks with FIFA to allow teams affected by the bans a 15day transfer window to strengthen their squadsEarlier eight people were arrested in Turkiye and more than 1000 players were suspended as a wideranging investigation into alleged betting on football matches rocked the countryâs football federationTurkish authorities formally arrested Eyupspor Chairman Murat Ozkaya a toptier club chairman and seven others on Monday while the Turkish Football Federation TFF suspended 1024 players pending disciplinary investigations Of the suspended players 27 compete in the countryâs toptier Super Lig notably Galatasaray defender Eren Elmali who also represents the Turkish national team IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/turkiye-bans-102-footballers-over-widening-betting-scandal-648712.html Fri, 14 Nov 2025 22:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/france-qualify-for-fifa-2026-wc-england-stay-perfect-648485.html Paris Nov 14 France became the second European nation to book their place at the 2026 World Cup finals thanks to a resounding victory over Ukraine Kylian Mbappe scored twice as France eased into the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals with a 40 success against Ukraine in the European qualifiersUkraine defended resolutely in the first half but Kylian Mbappà eased French nerves in the 55th minute nonchalantly chipping a penalty straight down the middle to break the deadlockWith the visitors unable to muster much attacking response Michael Olise spun and finished inside the box to make it 20 and Mbappà scrambled in a third before cueing up Hugo Ekitikà for his first ever France goalVictory sends Didier Deschamps side to the World Cup finals as Group D winners while Ukraine and Icelands Sunday meeting will settle the runnersup slotEngland continued their perfect record in World Cup qualifying with a 20 win over Serbia at WembleyBukayo Saka volleyed home just before the half hour mark to put the Three Lions ahead before Eberechi Eze secured all three points with a curled finish late onEngland had already sealed qualification with a 50 victory in the reverse fixture in Belgrade in September but Thomas Tuchelâs men produced a professional performance to make it seven wins from seven in Group K without conceding a goalJust before the halfhour mark Bukayo Saka pounced with an eyecatching volley after debutant Nico OReillys shot deflected into the wingers path England dominated proceedings in their search for a second goal and the pressure finally told late on when substitute Eberechi Eze swept home effortlessly after a pass from fellow replacement Phil FodenThe visitors best opportunities to draw level came via a pair of DuÅan VlahoviÄ chances but this loss coupled with Albanias victory away to Andorra ensured the Orlovi could no longer finish second in the sectionAlexander SÃrloth and Erling Haaland both scored twice in a dazzling 12minute spell as Norway beat Estonia 41 in Group I to move to the brink of automatic qualification Haalands double took him to 14 goals in seven qualifiers extending his lead at the top of the individual scoring chartsItaly remain three points behind Norway who they host on Matchday 10 after beating Moldova with late headers from Gianluca Mancini and Pio Esposito IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/france-qualify-for-fifa-2026-wc-england-stay-perfect-648485.html Fri, 14 Nov 2025 14:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/cant-get-carried-away-saka-on-arsenal-title-hopes-648438.html London Nov 13 Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka feels that the club need to block out outside distractions and remain focused as the London side sit four points clear at the top of the Premier League after 11 matches The Gunners have collected 26 points from eight wins and two draws but were held to a 22 draw at Sunderland last weekend allowing Manchester City to trim the gap with their 30 victory over LiverpoolWe just have to win every game thats the mentality we go into the game with and see where it leaves us he told talkSPORT in an interview published on ThursdayWe cannot get carried away with what people are saying because one day they say something and the next day they say something elsePeoples opinion about us changes like the weather The most important thing is our dressing room and the foundation and the belief we have in ourselvesMikel Artetaâs side have conceded just five goals in the league this season but Saka insisted the team remain focused and not complacentAfter finishing runnersup in each of the past three campaigns under Arteta narrowly missing out in 2022â23 and 2023â24 before slipping further behind last season Arsenal continue their pursuit of a first Premier League title in 20 yearsThe Gunners return to action after the international break with a home clash against fifthplaced rivals Tottenham Hotspur on November 23Meanwhile Saka is gearing up for Englandâs World Cup qualifiers against Serbia and Albania with Gareth Southgateâs men having already secured qualification for next yearâs tournament in North America after six straight victories in their group IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/cant-get-carried-away-saka-on-arsenal-title-hopes-648438.html Thu, 13 Nov 2025 19:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/do-whatever-it-takes-to-get-football-season-underway-sunil-chhetris-plea-to-aiff-648002.html New Delhi Nov 11 Veteran India striker Sunil Chhetri has urged the All India Football Federation AIFF to take all necessary steps to restart the Indian Super League ISL season in the country In a joint statement the top players of the country came together to issue a plea for the commencement of Indias topflight football tournamentWe professional footballers who play in the Indian Super League are coming together to make a plea and more importantly to send the message that we stand united in our efforts to get the Indian Super League season underway To put it simply we want to play and now Chhetri wrote in an Instagram post which was shared by many footballers in the country including Sandesh Jhingan Gurpreet Singh Sandhu and Lallianzuala ChhangteThe unified plea underscores the deepening unease within Indias football fraternity as the ISL which typically kicks off by September remains in limbo well into November With the AIFFs recent tender for the leagues commercial rights failing to attract even a single bidder the resulting stalemate has cast serious doubt over the ISLs immediate future and left its stakeholders mired in uncertaintyOur anger frustration and distress has now been replaced by desperation Desperation to play the game we love in front of people who mean everything to us our families our fans the joint statement readThis is a plea to all those involved in running our sport in the country to do whatever it takes to get the football season underway India needs its competitive football now more than everAs for us we remain committed professional and ready to walk out of that tunnel and onto the pitch the moment were told we can All we ask of those running our beautiful game to match our desperation with honest intent Weve found ourselves in a very dark tunnel for long We could do with a little light it addedThe AIFFs failed tender to secure a new commercial partner with no bidders coming forward by the November 7 deadline has plunged the league into crisis The fallout has been severe players have gone months without competitive football several clubs including Mohun Bagan Super Giant and Kerala Blasters have halted training and others such as Chennaiyin FC and Inter Kashi have suspended operations and delayed salariesFacing growing pressure the AIFF plans to move the Supreme Court to seek modifications to the ISLs governing framework Justice L Nageswara Rao appointed by the Court to oversee AIFF affairs has held talks with officials to chart a way out of the impasse IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/do-whatever-it-takes-to-get-football-season-underway-sunil-chhetris-plea-to-aiff-648002.html Tue, 11 Nov 2025 13:23:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/trevoh-chalobah-likely-to-replace-marc-guehi-in-englands-squad-648066.html London Nov 11 Trevoh Chalobah is expected to be called up to the England squad as a replacement for injured Crystal Palace defender Marc Guehi The 26yearold Chelsea centreback is set to link up with the national team ahead of Englands final World Cup qualifiers against Albania and Serbia although an official confirmation is yet to be made The Three Lions have already secured their spot at next summers World CupChalobah first received an England callup from manager Thomas Tuchel in May and made his debut against Senegal Despite impressing he missed out on selection for the September qualifiers against Andorra and Serbia as well as the October internationals decisions Tuchel described at the time as unfortunateTuchel has played a pivotal role in Chalobahs career handing him his Chelsea debut in 2021 This season the defender has been a regular feature missing only four matches across all competitions as Chelsea sit third in the Premier League through to the Carabao Cup quarterfinals and competing strongly in the Champions League league phaseGuehi meanwhile picked up a foot injury during Crystal Palaces Conference League victory over AZ Alkmaar last weekProviding an update on Guehis condition before Palaces Premier League clash with Brighton manager Oliver Glasner had revealed the defender was dealing with a heavy bone bruise The incident occurred towards the end of Palaces win over AZ Alkmaar when Guehi was booked for a foulOvernight he couldnt sleep it was so painful and the next day we assessed him and it was a heavy bone bruise Glasner told Sky Sports He was walking on crutches the last two days and couldnt even step on his foot Fortunately nothing is broken but at the moment he cant even walk It looks like he will miss Englands games but after maybe in 1014 days hopefully he can return to training and be available againFurther changes to the England squad are also expected with Newcastle United manager Eddie Howe confirming that winger Anthony Gordon hip and goalkeeper Nick Pope concussion will both withdraw IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/trevoh-chalobah-likely-to-replace-marc-guehi-in-englands-squad-648066.html Tue, 11 Nov 2025 16:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenals-premier-league-clash-against-everton-rescheduled-648097.html London Nov 11 Arsenals Premier League clash against Everton in December has been rescheduled with the fixture at the Toffees new Hill Dickinson Stadium now taking place on Saturday December 20 at 8 pm This Premier League match was previously scheduled for Sunday December 21 However the EFL scheduled Arsenals Carabao Cup quarterfinal against Crystal Palace on Tuesday December 23 due to the Eagles participation in the UEFA Conference LeagueWhen that fixture was officially scheduled and before tickets went on sale for the Gunners away game at Everton Arsenal opened dialogue with the Premier League and Everton Football Club to request a date change to avoid playing two matches in the space of 48 hours As a result the match has moved to Saturday December 20Playing two matches within 48 hours contravenes FIFA recommendations which have established a consensus for a minimum of 72 hours rest between games This recommendation is in place to protect player health and fitness Recovery time between matches is especially important during busy periods of the season such as December Arsenal said in a statement on TuesdayIt is also worth noting that Christmas Eve was mooted as the date for the Carabao Cup quarterfinal but was rejected due to the proximity to Christmas Day which would impact our supporters and workforce it addedArteta has previously voiced his frustration over the fixture reshuffle calling for a more balanced approach Speaking after the EFL Cup date was confirmedArteta said Hopefully they will move our Premier League match because to play two days later doesnt make any sense So now that we know the date for the EFL Cup match Im sure the Premier League will adjust accordinglyArsenal are currently leading the Premier League standings with 26 points from eight wins two draws and one defeat in 11 matches leading Manchester City by four points who have seven wins one draw and three defeats Chelsea are third with 20 points from six wins two draws and three defeats in 11 matches IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenals-premier-league-clash-against-everton-rescheduled-648097.html Tue, 11 Nov 2025 18:57:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/lamine-yamal-released-from-spain-squad-for-world-cup-qualifiers-648101.html Madrid Nov 11 Lamine Yamal has been withdrawn from Spains squad for their upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers after receiving medical treatment the Spanish Football Federation RFEF confirmed on Tuesday According to the RFEF the 18yearold Barcelona winger who has been sidelined for his clubs last five matches with the problem underwent a radiofrequency procedure on MondayThis procedure was performed without prior notification to the national teams medical staff who only learned of the details through a report received at 1040 pm last night which indicated a medical recommendation for rest for 710 days RFEF said in a statementIn view of this situation and prioritising the players health safety and wellbeing at all times the Royal Spanish Football Federation has taken the decision to release the player from the current squadYamal was originally expected to join the Spain squad on Monday as preparations began for their upcoming 2026 World Cup qualifiers However the Barcelona winger continues to struggle with a groin injury that has sidelined him in recent weeks and kept him out of Spains previous qualifying window in OctoberSpain currently lead Group E with a perfect record four wins from four matches scoring 15 goals without conceding A pair of positive results in the upcoming fixtures would secure their place at the 2026 World Cup to be held in the United States Canada and MexicoLuis de la Fuentes side will first travel to Tbilisi to face Georgia on Saturday before returning home to play Turkey in Seville on November 18Yamal who has been in fine form for Barcelona this season has scored six goals and provided six assists in 11 appearances across competitions Despite his recent injury setback the teenager has already established himself as a key figure for both club and country having been capped 23 times for Spain IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/lamine-yamal-released-from-spain-squad-for-world-cup-qualifiers-648101.html Tue, 11 Nov 2025 19:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/nagelsmann-backs-struggling-wirtz-to-rediscover-form-for-germany-liverpool-648145.html Berlin Germany Nov 11 Wearing a shy smile Florian Wirtz stepped onto the pitch at the small AOK Stadion in Wolfsburg The home of VfL Wolfsburgs womens and youth teams erupted in warm applause from about 4000 fans for the struggling Liverpool striker Germany coach Julian Nagelsmanns comments struck a chord In a passionate address the 38yearold urged patience and support for the 22yearold forward while criticising Liverpool for failing to convert his chances He creates a lot but they dont finish them Thats part of the truth Nagelsmann said We all need to back him so he can clear his head and perform at his best both here and in LiverpoolNagelsmann added that Liverpool lacked collective spirit Every one of the five strikers thinks he should be starting he notedAfter joining Liverpool from Leverkusen for a reported 150 million euros Wirtz has often found himself on the bench Nagelsmann called the situation complex saying the club as a whole had been inconsistent compared with last season reports Xinhua At his age fluctuations are normal he said You cant expect him to play at the highest level nonstop for three yearsStill Nagelsmann praised Wirtzs growing intensity and recent progress Flo has been improving week by week he said We all know what he can bring to us and to any clubDespite criticism over his recent form Nagelsmann said Liverpools recent wins over Aston Villa and Real Madrid were promising even with a little setback in a 30 loss to Manchester City Im in the right place and want to help make Liverpool successful Wirtz had said earlierNagelsmann encouraged him to use the international break to rebuild confidence Germany faces Luxembourg on Friday and Slovakia on Monday in its 2026 World Cup qualifiers needing two wins to secure top spot in the groupNagelsmann called for greater efficiency from his strikers ahead of the teams final two 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg on Friday and Slovakia next MondayGermany faces a striker shortage that is testing the depth of the 2014 FIFA World Cup championWhile Newcastles Nick Woltemade Frankfurts Jonathan Burkardt and Dortmunds Maximilian Beier continue to search for their first national team goals a series of injuries and setbacks have limited coach Julian Nagelsmanns options We dont always have a top squad to our disposal the German coach said as Niclas Fullkrug Kai Havertz Jamal Musiala Tim Kleindienst and Deniz Undav remain sidelined ahead of the trip to BelfastTwentyeight of the 51 goals Germany has scored in Nagelsmanns 25 games in charge came from the missing forwards That three of the four goals in the recent win over Luxembourg came from set pieces tells its own story as Germanys golden era of boxstriker dominance appears to be fading All three goals were scored by defendersKleindienst was the last traditional striker to score for Germany finding the net in a 33 draw with Italy in March 2025Once known as a country of prolific strikers from Miroslav Klose Rudi Voller and Jurgen Klinsmann to Gerd Muller and KarlHeinz Rummenigge Germany now appears caught in a rare drought IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/nagelsmann-backs-struggling-wirtz-to-rediscover-form-for-germany-liverpool-648145.html Tue, 11 Nov 2025 23:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/barcelona-close-gap-on-real-madrid-in-la-liga-standings-647770.html Madrid Nov 10 Robert Lewandowski confirmed his return to full fitness with a hattrick as FC Barcelona won 42 away to Celta Vigo The Polish forward scored a ninthminute penalty and restored the lead after Sergio Carreira had canceled out his opener in the 10th minuteBorja Iglesias made it 22 in the 41st and Lamine Yamal put Barcelona ahead on the stroke of halftime with an individual goalBarcelona controlled the second half and Lewandowski completed his hattrick with a header that went in off the post after a corner reports XinhuaReal Madrid was held to a 00 draw away to Rayo Vallecano on Sunday to drop points in La Liga for just the second time this seasonXabi Alonsos side failed to create clear chances after its midweek Champions League defeat to Liverpool while Rayo pressed effectively to keep the leaders at bay and limit Kylian MbappeRayos display drew extra credit given the side coached by Inigo Perez played a UEFA Conference League match on Thursday night and had just 65 hours 48 fewer than Real Madrid between that fixture and Sundays kickoffFifthplace Betis drew 11 away to Valencia in an intense game Cucho Hernandez put Betis ahead in the 74th minute and Luis Rioja curled in an equalizer eight minutes later to lift Valencia out of the bottom threeMallorca claimed a 10 win at Getafe thanks to Vedat Muriqis 14thminute goalNico Williams scored a spectacular winner as Athletic Club Bilbao beat bottomofthetable Oviedo 10 Williams beat three defenders before finishing off the underside of the bar to decide a game in which Athletic missed chances to make the score more comfortable while Oviedo had a goal ruled out for a very close offsideAntoine Griezmann scored twice as Atletico Madrid defeated Levante 31 on Saturday Atletico led when a save from Matt Ryan rebounded in off defender Adrian de la Fuente and although former Atletico defender Manu Sanchez leveled with a header Griezmanns secondhalf goals settled the gameGerard Moreno scored against his former club as Villarreal beat Espanyol 20 with Alberto Moleiro adding a second after the breakRuben Vargas 51stminute penalty gave Sevilla a 10 home win over Osasuna ending a threematch losing streakGirona beat Alaves 10 with Viktor Tsygankov scoring from a Bryan Gil cross while Elche and Real Sociedad drew 11 on Friday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/barcelona-close-gap-on-real-madrid-in-la-liga-standings-647770.html Mon, 10 Nov 2025 09:27:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/india-drawn-with-japan-australia-and-chinese-taipei-in-afc-u20-womens-asian-cup-647818.html New Delhi Nov 10 India were drawn with Japan Australia and Chinese Taipei in Group C of the AFC U20 Womens Asian Cup Thailand 2026 in the Final Draw held in Bangkok Thailand on Monday Having qualified for the AFC U20 Womens Asian Cup after a 20year absence the Indian team will begin their campaign against Japan followed by matches against Australia and Chinese TaipeiJapan runnersup in 2024 are a record sixtime champions of the AFC U20 Womens Asian Cup and also a FIFA U20 Womens World Cup champion in 2018 as well as a runnerup in 2024 Australia finished the 2024 edition in third place while Chinese Taipei were knocked out in the group stageIn Group A hosts Thailand were drawn alongside China PR Vietnam and Bangladesh Group B contains DPR Korea Korea Republic Uzbekistan and JordanFor the pot allocations for the Final Draw the seedings were based on a points system derived from the teams final rankings across the previous three editions of the finals with the points from each edition weighted progressively as follows 100 of ranking points for the latest edition 2024 50 of ranking points for the secondlast edition 2019 and 25 of ranking points for the thirdlast edition 2017India who did not qualify for any of the last three editions were placed in Pot 4 ahead of the drawThe top two teams from each group along with the two best thirdplaced teams will advance to the quarterfinals The four semifinalists will qualify for the FIFA U20 Womens World Cup Poland 2026 where DPR Korea is the current holdersFinal draw resultsGroup A Thailand China PR Vietnam BangladeshGroup B DPR Korea Korea Republic Uzbekistan JordanGroup C Japan Australia Chinese Taipei India IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/india-drawn-with-japan-australia-and-chinese-taipei-in-afc-u20-womens-asian-cup-647818.html Mon, 10 Nov 2025 14:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/afc-u20-womens-asian-cup-2026-final-draw-to-reveal-indias-group-stage-opponents-647743.html New Delhi Nov 9 The Final Draw for the AFC U20 Womens Asian Cup Thailand 2026 will be conducted in Bangkok Thailand on Monday at 1230 IST For the 12th edition of the AFC U20 Womens Asian Cup twelve teams will be divided into three groups of four each India were one of the 11 teams eight group winners and three bestranked runnersup that secured their place in the tournament via the qualifiers joining hosts Thailand India topped Group D ahead of Indonesia Myanmar and Turkmenistan in the qualifiers held in AugustThe AFC U20 Womens Asian Cup Thailand 2026 is scheduled to take place from April 1 to 18 2026 This will mark Indias first appearance in the competition since 2006For the pot allocations for the Final Draw the seedings are based on a points system derived from the teams final rankings across the previous three editions of the Finals with the points from each edition weighted progressively as follows 100 of ranking points for the latest edition 2024 50 of ranking points for the secondlast edition 2019 and 25 of ranking points for the thirdlast edition 2017India who did not qualify for any of the last three editions are placed in Pot 4 and will be drawn against either Thailand DPR Korea or Japan from Pot 1 Australia Korea Republic or China PR from Pot 2 and Vietnam Uzbekistan or Chinese Taipei from Pot 3The top two sides from each group along with the two best thirdplaced teams will progress to the quarterfinals The four semifinalists will qualify for the FIFA U20 Womens World Cup Poland 2026 where DPR Korea are the current holdersAs hosts Thailand will be designated as the top seed and occupy position A1Pot allocations for the AFC U20 Womens Asian Cup Thailand 2026 Final Draw Seedings in bracketsPot 1 Thailand hosts DPR Korea 1 Japan 2Pot 2 Australia 3 Korea Republic 5 China PR 6Pot 3 Vietnam 7 Uzbekistan 8 Chinese Taipei 9Pot 4 India 10 Jordan 11 Bangladesh 12The draw will be streamed live on the AFC Asian Cup YouTube Channel IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/afc-u20-womens-asian-cup-2026-final-draw-to-reveal-indias-group-stage-opponents-647743.html Sun, 09 Nov 2025 19:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-vital-sunday-for-real-madrid-and-barcelona-ahead-of-international-break-647622.html Madrid Nov 8 Real Madrid and FC Barcelona have vital away games which could have a big impact on this seasons La Liga title race on the eve of the final international break of 2025 Real Madrid makes the short trip to face Rayo Vallecano in the Valencas Stadium with a fivepoint lead over Barcelona which has a difficult match away to an inform Celta Vigo Midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni is sidelined for Real Madrid with a muscle injury and that will mean changes in Xabi Alonsos starting 11 with Eduardo Camavinga in the midfield holding role while Fede Valverde moves back into his preferred midfield position and Trent AlexanderArnold returns at rightback reports XinhuaThe former Liverpool player has had a difficult start to his Madrid career with injury and Alonso prefers Dani Carvajal away from home but Carvajals knee problems should allow AlexanderArnold to return at VallecasOne of Real Madrids big complaints in recent seasons is the lack of recovery time between matches but on Sunday they visit a rival that has been given only 65 hours between the end of its dramatic Conference League win over Lech Poznan on Thursday and Sundays afternoon kickoffCelta Vigo welcome Barcelona after two wins in La Liga and two in the Europa League has kicked its season into gear after having started with seven draws in its first nine La Liga matchesBarcelonas highdefensive line which has started to leak goals at a worrying rate has been the main focus of attention during the week after a 33 draw against Club Brugge and Celta have players capable of exploiting any defensive weaknessBorja Iglesias would lead the Celta attack with former Barcelona forward Ferran Jutgla in support and the veteran Iago Aspas adding further guile if neededLamine Yamal who on Friday was included in Luis de la Fuentes Spain squad should start for Barcelona despite ongoing questions about his pelvic injury with questions over whether Ferran Torres or Robert Lewandowski will lead the attackReal Madrids match would have finished long before Celta and Barcelona kick off so Barca will know if they need three points to close the gap at the top of the table or merely to stay in touch at the top IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-vital-sunday-for-real-madrid-and-barcelona-ahead-of-international-break-647622.html Sun, 09 Nov 2025 01:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/important-to-keep-the-energy-and-commitment-going-says-szoboszlai-ahead-of-city-clash-647490.html Liverpool Nov 8 Liverpool must maintain their relentless spirit and unity if they are to revive their Premier League title defence midfielder Dominik Szoboszlai has insisted ahead of their crucial clash against Manchester City on Sunday Currently sitting third in the table with 18 points from 10 matches Liverpool trail City by a single point and are seven points behind league leaders Arsenal who have set the early pace The Reds endured a tough October losing six of their seven matches across all competitions a run that severely hurt their momentum and confidenceHowever backtoback victories over Aston Villa in the league and Real Madrid in the Champions League have sparked renewed optimism Both wins were accompanied by clean sheets signalling a defensive resurgence and renewed determination within the squadSpeaking to British media on Friday Szoboszlai one of Liverpools standout performers this season emphasised the team effort and fighting spirit that was on full display in their narrow yet impressive 10 victory over Real Madrid earlier in the weekEverybody could see it against Real all of us running pressing fighting covering each other and playing for the badge the Hungarian said Thats what makes the difference The most important thing now is to keep that energy and commitment goingThe 23yearold midfielder stressed the importance of consistency and patience reminding fans that the Premier League title race is far from over Its a long season he said Even if we were seven points ahead right now that wouldnt mean wed already won the league Things can change very quickly in footballSzoboszlai added that Liverpools focus must remain internal rather than on their rivals We just need to stay calm keep improving and win our games If we do that well be in the right place when it matters most he concluded IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/important-to-keep-the-energy-and-commitment-going-says-szoboszlai-ahead-of-city-clash-647490.html Sat, 08 Nov 2025 12:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/lacroix-sarr-guide-crystal-palace-to-down-az-alkamaar-in-conference-league-647220.html London Nov 7 Crystal Palace rediscovered their goalscoring form after a blank against AEK Larnaca last time out securing a first league phase home win beating AZ Alkamaar 31 on Matchday 2 of UEFA Conference League Maxence Lacroix and Ismaila Sarr struck in the first half after AZ keeper RomeJayden OwusuOduro had saved a JeanPhilippe Mateta penalty and denied Sarr from close range Sven Mijnans halved the lead but Sarr finished a defencesplitting Mateta pass to secure three points and leave AZ with just one win from three gamesLacroix said that the previous defeat to AEK Larnaca had inspired Palace to fight back against the Dutch side who went into this seasons UEFA Conference League as one of the pretournament favourites with a storng track record in the competitionBut Lacroixs fine snapshot finish in the firsthalf Palaces firstever goal at Selhurst Park in a major European competition proper was added to by Ismaila Sarrs brace either side of halftime to send the SE25 Eagles home happyWe are really happy really happy to get this win for them and with how we played Lacroix told TNT Sports I think everyone loves to see goals here at Selhurst so yeah everyone is happyWe are really happy The game we lost here against Larnaca it was a bit sad for us but we said before the game that we want to give this win to them to the fans to everyone and I think everyone deserves it and this is what we did todayWe are in a good way Weve won three games in a row so we are really happy about that and we want to continue We have the derby against Brighton amp Hove Albion on Sunday so I think its going to be an important moment for us IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/lacroix-sarr-guide-crystal-palace-to-down-az-alkamaar-in-conference-league-647220.html Fri, 07 Nov 2025 10:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/foden-and-bellingham-return-as-tuchel-names-england-squad-for-november-internationals-647392.html London Nov 7 England manager Thomas Tuchel has recalled Phil Foden and Jude Bellingham for the November international break fixtures against Serbia and Albania while Bournemouths Alex Scott has earned his first senior callup Fodens return marks the end of an eightmonth absence from the national side The Manchester City star who last featured for England in March has rediscovered his best form in recent weeks capped by a brace in Citys Champions League win over Borussia DortmundBellingham meanwhile is back after being surprisingly omitted from Tuchels October squad The Real Madrid midfielder had declared himself fit and available at the time and his recall was widely expected after his consistently dominant displays in SpainTuchel has also rewarded 22yearold Alex Scott for his standout performances with Bournemouth this season The midfielder who has previously represented England at U19 and U21 levels winning European titles with both age groups will now have the opportunity to make his senior debutElsewhere Crystal Palaces Adam Wharton returns after missing the last two squads due to injury while Newcastle forward Anthony Gordon who was a fitness concern following a midweek knock against Athletic Club has been cleared to join the campAmong those missing out are Morgan GibbsWhite Ruben LoftusCheek and Myles LewisSkelly all of whom featured in the previous squad but have been omitted this time Danny Welbeck also misses out while Ollie Watkins has been sidelined with an ongoing injury issue leaving Harry Kane as the squads only recognised centreforwardIn goal Nick Pope replaces James Trafford joining Jordan Pickford and Dean Henderson in the threeman goalkeeping unitThe defensive lineup includes John Stones Reece James Dan Burn Marc Guehi Ezri Konsa Jarrel Quansah Djed Spence and Nico OReilly the latter continuing his rapid rise after strong domestic performancesEngland will first face Serbia before taking on Albania as Tuchel looks to continue his unbeaten start since taking chargeEngland squadGoalkeepers Dean Henderson Jordan Pickford Nick PopeDefenders Dan Burn Marc Guehi Reece James Ezri Konsa Nico OReilly Jarrel Quansah Djed Spence John StonesMidfielders Elliot Anderson Jude Bellingham Jordan Henderson Declan Rice Morgan Rogers Alex Scott Adam WhartonForwards Jarrod Bowen Eberechi Eze Phil Foden Anthony Gordon Harry Kane Marcus Rashford Bukayo Saka IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/foden-and-bellingham-return-as-tuchel-names-england-squad-for-november-internationals-647392.html Fri, 07 Nov 2025 18:59:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-fifa-to-hold-world-cup-playoff-draws-on-november-20-in-zurich-647422.html Zurich Nov 7 Footballs World governing body FIFA has announced that the draws to determine the playoff brackets for the final six spots at the expanded 48team 2026 World Cup will take place on November 20 in Zurich The playoffs will decide the last qualifiers for the tournament which will be jointly hosted by the United States Canada and Mexico next year The European playoff draw will feature 16 teams including potential heavyweights such as fourtime world champions Italy battling for four remaining European berths Matches will be played between March 26 and 31 2026 as teams vie for a coveted ticket to footballs biggest stageMeanwhile six teams from outside Europe will compete in the intercontinental playoffs for two World Cup slots Those games are expected to be hosted in Mexico with Bolivia and New Caledonia already confirmed among the participantsFIFA said the playoff brackets will be seeded based on the next mens world rankings scheduled for release on November 19 just a day before the drawIn Europe the playoffs will consist of four minibrackets of four teams each featuring singleleg semifinals and finals The 16 participants will include the runnersup from the 12 European qualifying groups and four additional teams that won Nations League groups last year a list expected to include Wales and SwedenThe 12 winners of the European qualifying groups which conclude on November 18 have already secured direct entry to the World Cup Among them are England who confirmed their qualification earlier this monthFor the intercontinental playoffs the format will see the four lowestranked teams paired in singlematch semifinals with the winners facing the two highestranked teams in the decisive finals to determine the last two qualifiersThe six playoff placeholders will be placed in Pot 4 the lowestranked group during the main World Cup draw on December 5 at the Kennedy Centre in Washington DC The event is expected to feature an appearance by US President Donald Trump IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-fifa-to-hold-world-cup-playoff-draws-on-november-20-in-zurich-647422.html Fri, 07 Nov 2025 21:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/super-cup-gokulam-kerala-see-off-mohammedan-sporting-finish-third-in-group-c-646956.html Bambolim Nov 5 Gokulam Kerala FC cruised to a 30 victory over Mohammedan Sporting Club in their last Group C clash of the AIFF Super Cup at the GMC Stadium on Wednesday Albert Torras opener in the 28th minute set the tone for the Malabarians followed by Samuel Lyndoh doubling the lead early in the second half With just a few minutes left substitute Juan Carlos Rico added a third to seal his sides victory and lift them to third in the group table as both teams campaigns came to an endIn the fourth minute Gokulams Spanish midfielder Alfred Planas tested Mohammedan keeper Subhajit Bhattacharjee with a curling freekick from distance but the latter tipped it awayThe Black and White Brigade responded with counterattacks In the eighth minute midfielder Maharabam Maxion launched a shot from the edge of the box that missed the target A minute later Ashley Koli struck a thunderous freekick that hit the frameThe breakthrough arrived in the 28th minute when Shighils shot deflected off Yash Chickro and fell perfectly for Spanish midfielder Torras who smashed a fine volley to give his side the leadThis boosted Gokulams confidence and they continued marching forward in waves of attacks On the other hand Mohammedan struggled to break Gokulams solid defence The Malabarians piling pressure through Planas and Soyal Joshy forced Bhattacharjee to draw another save right before the teams headed into the breakResuming the game in the second half Gokulam Kerala continued on the front foot In the 49th minute Planas linked a coordinated play with Albert Torras before firing a leftfooted attempt only to be deflected by keeper BhattacharjeeAfter waves of persistent attacks Akshunna Tyagi burst down the left flank in the 56th minute to deliver a low cross across goal for Samuel Lyngdoh to convert a tapin and double the leadIn the 86th minute Gokulam Kerala struck their third when Planas effort was initially saved by Bhattacharjee but it allowed Spanish forward Juan Carlos Rico to pounce on the rebound and tap it in from close range The goal sealed a 30 triumph for Gokulam Kerala who ended their campaign with their first victory in the AIFF Super Cup 202526 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/super-cup-gokulam-kerala-see-off-mohammedan-sporting-finish-third-in-group-c-646956.html Thu, 06 Nov 2025 03:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/east-bengal-sign-india-international-jyoti-chouhan-ahead-of-afc-womens-champions-league--646971.html New Delhi Nov 5 East Bengal have bolstered their attacking lineup with the signing of India international Jyoti Chouhan the club announced on Wednesday The move comes ahead of the teams participation in the AFC Womens Champions League group stage and the upcoming Indian Womens League IWL season as the defending champions look to strengthen their title defenceJyoti who made history as the first Indian footballer to score a hattrick for a European club for Dinamo Zagreb against ZNK Agram in 2023 joins East Bengal on a deal that runs until the end of the 202526 season She will don the number 99 jersey for the Red and GoldsSpeaking after her signing Jyoti expressed her excitement about joining one of Indias most storied football clubsJoining East Bengal is a dream come true for me We have a long calendar ahead and I am eager to contribute to this legendary club in the AFC Womens Champions League Group Stage and our Indian Womens League title defence she saidCoach Anthony has played a massive role in my evolution as a footballer and I am very happy to reunite with him and some of my other teammates The support from the fans here is unmatched and I look forward to making them proudBorn and raised in Sardarpur a small town in Madhya Pradesh Jyotis journey to professional football is one of resilience and determination Coming from a humble background she battled economic hardships to pursue her passion for the sport She first rose to prominence representing Madhya Pradesh in the National Championships before moving to Kenkre FC where her goalscoring form caught attention in the Mumbai Womens LeagueHer breakthrough came with Gokulam Kerala FC helping the club lift the IWL title in the 202122 season and later being named Best Player in the Kerala Womens League Her performance earned her a move abroad joining Croatian topflight club Dinamo Zagreb where she spent two successful seasons Jyoti was instrumental in Dinamo Zagrebs Croatian Womens Football Cup triumph in 202324 and their runnerup finish in 202223The 25yearold has also represented Indias womens national team seven times scoring her first international goal in a 52 win over Pakistan at the 2024 SAFF Womens Championship IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/east-bengal-sign-india-international-jyoti-chouhan-ahead-of-afc-womens-champions-league--646971.html Thu, 06 Nov 2025 03:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/atletico-madrid-beats-union-saint-gilloise-in-champions-league-646757.html Madrid Nov 5 Atletico Madrid were made to suffer before claiming a 31 win at home over Belgian side Union SaintGilloise in the Champions League Julian Alvarez opened the scoring for Atletico in the 39th minute after excellent work from Giuliano Simeone who opened up space down the right for Atletico before feeding the ball to his Argentine teammateAntoine Griezmann saw a goal ruled out in firsthalf injury time as he followed in to slide home after Nahuel Molina had hit the crossbar but Conor Gallagher doubled Atleticos lead in the 78th minute following a powerful run from Alexander Sorloth reports XinhuaAlthough Atletico had a comfortable lead Union SG players never let their heads drop and Ross Sykes got them back into the game with a powerful headerThe game was suddenly more open with both sides finding space on the break Union SG goalkeeper Kjell Scherpen made a fine save to deny Alvarez his second goal while at the other end Louis Patris could have levelled with a header but his effort into the ground took the sting off the ball and allowed Jan Oblak an easy saveMarcos Llorente added Atleticos third with a simple finish in the last minute of injury time after Scherpen had denied Sorloth but could do nothing to block the reboundThe win leaves Atletico with six points from its four group matches to date while Union SG remains on threeElsewhere Dusan Vlahovics equaliser earned Juventus a point in their first home match under new coach Luciano Spalletti as they held Sporting CP to 11 drawMaximiliano Araujo drilled in the 13thminute opener and Sporting threatened a second when Francisco Trincão shot against the crossbar Vlahovics header was then brilliantly tipped away by Rui Silva before the striker poked in Khephren Thurams cross 11 minutes before halftimeRui Silva pawed Jonathan Davids header over the crossbar during secondhalf added time ensuring the visitors reached seven points while their opponents have three IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/atletico-madrid-beats-union-saint-gilloise-in-champions-league-646757.html Wed, 05 Nov 2025 10:10:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-arsenal-bayern-stay-perfect-liverpool-beat-real-madrid-646764.html New Delhi Nov 5 Arsenal and Bayern Munchen made it four wins from four in the league phase of the 202526 UEFA Champions League Liverpool beat Real Madrid and Tottenham were also victorious on Matchday 4 Mikel Merino scored twice and Max Dowman became the youngest player in Champions League history as Arsenal stayed perfect with victory in PragueHaving gone ahead through Bukayo Sakas precise 34thminute penalty the visitors doubled their lead when Merino struck a minute after the restart from Leandro Trossards crossMerino headed in Declan Rices delivery in the 68th minute before Dowman 15 came on to break Youssoufa Moukokos record in a Gunners win that was an eighth successive clean sheet in all competitions equalling a club record set in 1903 and left Slavia on two pointsBayern held on to claim a statement win at Parc des Princes maintaining their 100 record while handing Paris their first defeatLuis Díaz scored twice but was dismissed at the end of a first half in which Bayern were good value for a 20 lead The Colombian winger struck in the fourth minute collecting and converting after Michael Olises poked effort was saved before adding a second 28 minutes later after dispossessing Marquinhos but was then sent off for a stoppagetime challenge on Achraf HakimiThe visitors set up to defend their lead in the second half and ultimately succeeded in holding off Paris though they faced heavy pressure after João Neves applied an acrobatic finish to Kangin Lees 74thminute crossLiverpool claimed a second win against Real Madrid in as many campaigns thanks to Alexis Mac Allisters emphatic header as the Reds edged Madrid 10The Argentinian midfielder who opened the scoring in last seasons encounter nodded powerfully past Thibaut Courtois shortly after the hour having been picked out by Dominik Szoboszlais sumptuous deliveryCourtois the Player of the Match in the 2022 final between these sides had been in sparkling form to deny the Reds earlier in the contest thwarting Szoboszlai on four occasions and pulling off remarkable stops to frustrate Virgil van Dijk and Hugo EkitikeMeanwhile Tottenham Hotspur maintained their unbeaten campaign with a dominant display against Copenhagen despite a red card for Brennan Johnson in 40 winJohnson broke the deadlock 19 minutes in rounding Dominik Kotarski to give Spurs the lead at the break Wilson Odobert tapped in a second after great work from Randal Kolo Muani but Johnson was dismissed shortly afterHowever the hosts wrapped things up thanks to a stunning solo goal from Micky van de Ven and a rapid counter finished off by João Palhinha IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-arsenal-bayern-stay-perfect-liverpool-beat-real-madrid-646764.html Wed, 05 Nov 2025 10:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/super-cup-winner-takes-all-as-punjab-fc-and-bengaluru-fc-battle-for-a-semifinal-spot-646685.html Fatorda Goa Nov 4 Punjab FC and Bengaluru FC will face each other in a winnertakesall clash in Group C of the AIFF Super Cup which will be played at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Fatorda on Wednesday With both sides tied on six points and also having the same goal difference the final group stage match will be crucial to decide who will secure their spot in the semifinals If the teams play out a draw in regulation time the group winners will be decided through penaltiesPunjab FC started the group stage with a comfortable 30 victory over Gokulam Kerala FC with the help of goals from Nikhil Prabhu Princeton Rebello and an owngoal from Gursimrat Singh and they followed up with another 30 victory over Mohammedan SC with the help of goals from Ninthoinganba Meetei Samir Zeljkovic and Manglenthang Kipgen On the other hand Bengaluru FC started their campaign with a 20 win over Mohammedan SC and followed it up with a 40 thrashing of Gokulam Kerala FCSpeaking ahead of the match Punjab FC head coach Panagiotis Dilmperis said Weve shown great character and consistency in the group stage so far and Im proud of how the boys have stepped up Bengaluru FC are a strong side with experience and quality but our focus is on playing our game and maintaining the intensity that has brought us here Every player understands whats at stake and were ready to give everything for a place in the semifinalsThe head coach has trusted his young Indian core for both the matches with Muhammad Suhail Ninthoi and Kipgen shining in attack along with the midfield marshalled by captain Nikhil Prabhu and Princeton Rebello Dilmperis has gone with an allIndian defence of Suresh Meetei Bijoy Varghese Khaimingthang Lhungdim and Muhammed Uvais in both the matchesThe new foreign signings who joined ahead of the Super Cup Dani Ramirez Samir Zeljkovic and Nsungusi Effiong have started their life in Indian football well while defender Pablo Renan Dos Santos is yet to make his debut The Shers also have a good bench strength with the likes of Pramveer Singh Leon Augustine Singamayum Shami Ricky Shabong and Vinit Rai who can be called upon by the head coachBengaluru FC have also been in fine form with Sunil Chettri Ryan Williams and Vinith Venkatesh finding the net in the previous game while youngster Taorem Kelvin Singh scored in the first match The Blues will once again bank on their experienced players to come good at the crucial stages against a young and energetic Punjab FC sideBoth teams will head into the contest high on confidence after dominant performances in their opening games setting the stage for an intense and closely fought encounter With a semifinal spot on the line and nothing separating the two sides a thrilling clash can be expected at the Fatorda IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/super-cup-winner-takes-all-as-punjab-fc-and-bengaluru-fc-battle-for-a-semifinal-spot-646685.html Tue, 04 Nov 2025 22:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/sir-david-beckham-receives-knighthood-at-windsor-castle-646702.html Berkshire Nov 4 Former England captain Sir David Beckham received a knighthood at Windsor Castle on Tuesday The football star was honoured for his services to sport and charity Earlier this year Sir David said he was immensely proud of being recognised in the Kings Birthday HonoursI couldnt be prouder said Beckham People know how patriotic I am I love my countryIve always said how important the monarchy is to my family Im lucky enough to have travelled around the world and all people want to talk to me about is our monarchy It makes me proudThe former Manchester United and Real Madrid midfielder earned 115 caps for England and captained the Three Lions for six years from 2000 to 2006 He represented his country in three World Cups and two European Championships He ended his career in the Major League SoccerBeckham rose through Manchester Uniteds academy in 1992 and spent 11 years with the senior team before making a GBP 25 million move to Real Madrid in 2003 After four seasons in Spain he joined the LA Galaxy in Major League Soccer where he also enjoyed two loan spells at AC Milan He concluded his illustrious playing career with Paris SaintGermain in 2013Beyond football Beckhams influence extends well off the field Born in east London he played a key role in helping London secure the 2012 Olympic Games He has been associated with UNICEF since 2005 and in 2015 a special fund was created in his name to mark ten years of partnership with the organisationIn 2024 Beckham became an ambassador for the Kings Foundation supporting King Charles education and youth programmes that promote environmental awareness among young peopleHe is also a partowner of League Two club Salford City alongside former teammate Gary Neville and serves as coowner of Major League Soccer side Inter Miami IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/sir-david-beckham-receives-knighthood-at-windsor-castle-646702.html Tue, 04 Nov 2025 22:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/super-cup-kerala-blasters-strengthen-semis-bid-with-win-over-sc-delhi-646459.html Bambolim Goa Nov 3 Kerala Blasters FC produced a dominant display to thrash Sporting Club Delhi 30 in their second AIFF Super Cup 202526 Group D fixture at the GMC Stadium in Bambolim on Monday All the goals came in the first half A brace from Koldo Obieta 17 23 and Korou Singh Thingujams acrobatic strike 34 sealed a comfortable victory for the Blasters who now sit top of the group with six points from two matches The result also confirmed SC Delhis elimination from the tournament while Kerala Blasters strengthened their bid for a semifinal berthFor the Blasters it was another statement performance as they were disciplined at the back creative in midfield and ruthless up front David Catalàs men were in complete control from the first whistle They moved the ball fluidly pressed high and stretched SC Delhis fiveman backlineWithin minutes Adrián Lunas corner found Juan Rodríguez whose header rattled the woodwork setting the tone for a relentless half Noah Sadaoui looked lively in attack while Nihal Sudheeshs pace kept the capital side pinned deepKerala Blasters breakthrough came in the 17th minute and it was selfinflicted from SC Delhis perspective Ayush Adhikari played a loose back pass which Koldo Obieta intercepted with ease The Spanish striker made no mistake rifling home a rightfooted strike past Vishal Yadav who got a hand to it but couldnt keep it outBarely five minutes later Obieta doubled his tally and Kerala Blasters lead A neat passing sequence saw Korou find Nihal who slipped the ball into Obietas path The forward skipped past the SC Delhi defenders and calmly slotted the ball into the bottom corner to make it 20 By now the Blasters were running riot The third goal came in the 34th minute and it was the pick of the bunch Captain Luna delivered a delightful scooped pass into the box where Korou Singh met it acrobatically steering a rightfooted finish into the far corner It was a goal that summed up the Blasters creative composed and clinical performanceSporting Club Delhi had no answers in the first half failing to register a single shot on target Their defensive structure looked fragile and their midfield struggled to cope with Kerala Blasters tempo To their credit they emerged more organised after the interval showing more fight and energyAugustine Lalrochana came closest to a consolation goal in the 88th minute but his effort was brilliantly saved by Nora Fernandes ensuring Kerala Blasters clean sheet stayed intact IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/super-cup-kerala-blasters-strengthen-semis-bid-with-win-over-sc-delhi-646459.html Tue, 04 Nov 2025 00:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/iwl-to-be-played-in-two-phase-following-clubs-request-aiff-646417.html New Delhi Nov 3 The All India Football Federation AIFF has announced that the upcoming season of the Indian Womens League IWL will be played in two separate phases following a joint decision taken with all participating clubs The revised structure comes after several teams requested adjustments to accommodate players involved in international assignments and national team commitmentsThe decision was finalised during a meeting held on Thursday October 30 between the AIFF and representatives from all eight IWL clubs The All India Football Federation held a meeting with all eight Indian Womens League clubs on Thursday October 30 2025 At the clubs request it has been mutually decided that the IWL will be played in two phases the federation said in a statementAs per the new schedule Phase 1 of the IWL will be held between December 20 2025 and January 6 2026 while Phase 2 will begin on April 20 and conclude by May 10 2026 The AIFF explained that the schedule was revised to ensure that players who are part of national teams or competing in continental events can fulfill their international duties without disrupting the domestic league calendarWith a considerable number of players engaged in their respective clubs international assignments and national team commitments the federation said the revised calendar ensures balance between league participation and preparation for international tournamentsThe AIFF also outlined the recent international activity of the womens teams noting that the respective sides have already qualified for the AFC Womens Asian Cups and have been involved in extensive training and friendly matches According to the federation The respective teams have qualified for the AFC Womens Asian Cups and have played the following matches after their qualification Senior Womens National Team 13 days in camp 3 friendly matches U20 Womens National Team 12 days in camp 2 friendly matchesThe governing body believes that the twophase format will help clubs plan better while maintaining player welfare and competitive intensity across the league East Bengal the reigning IWL champion will look to defend their title under the adjusted schedule IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/iwl-to-be-played-in-two-phase-following-clubs-request-aiff-646417.html Mon, 03 Nov 2025 19:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/dembele-fit-for-psgs-champions-league-clash-against-bayern-646445.html Paris Nov 3 Paris SaintGermain have received a timely boost ahead of their Champions League showdown with Bayern Munich as manager Luis Enrique confirmed that Ousmane Dembele is fit and available for selection The French winger who played a key role in PSGs victory over Bayern in the Club World Cup quarterfinals had been a fitness concern after feeling discomfort in his right thigh during last weeks Ligue 1 clash with Lorient Dembele was limited to just 18 minutes in Saturdays game against Nice prompting doubts about his readiness for the midweek fixtureHowever Enrique dispelled those concerns during Mondays press conference revealing that Dembele had trained fully and was ready to play at 100 The 28yearold had previously scored a stoppagetime goal in PSGs 20 win over a nineman Bayern side in July and his return provides a major boost to the French champions attack as they prepare for another highstakes meeting with the German giants at the Parc des PrincesWe do not take risks with any players But Ousmane Dembele is fit he has been in every training session for the last two weeks Luis Enrique told reporters on MondayHe is improving his physical fitness and he will certainly play tomorrow I do not know for how many minutes but he will play because he is ready to competeBayern Munich have been in imperious form since their defeat to European champions Paris SaintGermain winning all 15 competitive matches that followed including a perfect ninegame streak in the BundesligaBoth Bayern and PSG boast flawless records in the Champions League this season having won all three of their groupstage fixtures and remaining level on goal differenceMeanwhile PSG are unbeaten in their last eight competitive outings and manager Enrique expressed confidence that his side can extend that impressive run when they host the German championsWe know how difficult it will be We are ready and motivated to win he saidI think there will be similar situations to what we saw in the United States last summer with lots of intensity in front of our supporters with the atmosphere we created every game were confident that we can improve our performance level to try to overcome their pressure IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/dembele-fit-for-psgs-champions-league-clash-against-bayern-646445.html Mon, 03 Nov 2025 22:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/i-will-always-love-liverpool-alexander-arnold-unfazed-by-anfield-reception-646337.html Madrid Nov 3 Trent AlexanderArnold is set to face a potentially hostile reception when he returns to Anfield on Tuesday for Real Madrids Champions League match against Liverpool but the defender maintains that no amount of criticism can lessen his love for his boyhood club A Liverpool native AlexanderArnold rose through the clubs famed academy system and went on to win two Premier League titles a Champions League and a Club World Cup during his time with the RedsHowever his decision to turn down a contract extension in pursuit of a new challenge faced criticism from parts of the fanbase Many Liverpool supporters expressed their displeasure in May jeering the defender during a Premier League match against Arsenal after his announcementI think whichever way I am received is the decision of the fans AlexanderArnold told Amazon Prime on Sunday I will always love the club I will always be a fan of the clubNo matter what my feelings wont change towards Liverpool I have got memories there that will last me a lifetime and no matter how I am received that wont changeLiverpool have endured a demanding spell losing six of their last eight matches across all competitions raising concerns about their form heading into the crucial stages of the season However AlexanderArnold made it clear that Real Madrid would not take the Premier League champions lightly The former Liverpool defender emphasised that despite their recent struggles the Reds remain a team of immense quality and character capable of bouncing back strongly when it matters most on the big stageIt will be a very difficult game the reception and atmosphere will contribute to that but more so the football for me the 27yearold addedAlthough they havent had the results of late theyre still a top footballing team and nobody here thinks its going to be an easy game IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/i-will-always-love-liverpool-alexander-arnold-unfazed-by-anfield-reception-646337.html Mon, 03 Nov 2025 16:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/rotated-bayern-dismantle-leverkusen-extend-perfect-run-in-bundesliga-646124.html Berlin Nov 2 Bayern Munich continued its impeccable start to the Bundesliga season with a commanding 30 victory over Bayer Leverkusen ending the visitors 37match unbeaten away run With a crucial UEFA Champions League trip to Paris SaintGermain ahead Bayern coach Vincent Kompany made seven changes from midweeks Cup win Captain Manuel Neuer returned in goal while youngsters Tom Bischof and Lennart Karl earned starts Star trio Harry Kane Michael Olise and Luis Diaz began on the benchDespite the rotation Bayern immediately took charge and pressed Leverkusen deep into its half The breakthrough came in the 25th minute when Bischof threaded a through ball to Serge Gnabry who finished past goalkeeper Mark Flekken Six minutes later Nicolas Jackson rose highest to meet Konrad Laimers cross and doubled the lead Just before halftime Raphael Guerreiros low delivery was turned by Loic Bade into his own net sealing the result before the breakThe second half offered few surprises Jackson missed a closerange header early on while Kompany later introduced Kane Olise and Diaz to conserve energy before next weeks European clash Leverkusen unable to create meaningful chances never looked likely to mount a comebackThe result extended Bayerns winning streak to 15 games across all competitions solidifying its position at the top of the Bundesliga Leverkusen suffered its first league defeat since the opening round and first away loss in nearly two yearsWe must acknowledge Bayerns quality they punished our mistakes and deserved the win said Leverkusen coach Kasper Hjulmand Were not happy with the performance but we move forwardBayern now shifts focus to Tuesdays Champions League trip to PSG while Leverkusen faces Benfica on WednesdayElsewhere RB Leipzig reclaimed second place with a 31 win over Stuttgart Heidenheim held Frankfurt to a 11 draw Borussia Monchengladbach thrashed St Pauli 40 Mainz drew 11 with Bremen and Union Berlin and Freiburg played out a goalless stalemate IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/rotated-bayern-dismantle-leverkusen-extend-perfect-run-in-bundesliga-646124.html Sun, 02 Nov 2025 09:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrid-cruise-past-valencia-villarreal-notches-easy-win-in-la-liga-646126.html Madrid Nov 2 Real Madrid crush Valencia at the Bernabeu and continued their winning streak at home with seven out of seven victories five in La Liga and two in the Champions League Xabi Alonsos side put the victory on track with a magnificent first half crowned by a brace from Kylian Mbappe who has now scored 18 goals in 14 games and a superb goal from Bellingham In the second half Carreras made it 40 with a spectacular strike that flew into the top cornerThe game was allbut over at halftime with Real Madrid leading 30 with Kylian Mbappe opening the scoring from the penalty spot after handball in the Valencia penalty areaMbappe doubled the lead on the half hour with an excellent finish from Arda Gulers cross and Jude Bellingham added a third after Vinicius Jr saw a penalty saved reports XinhuaReal Madrids superiority was emphasized when Alvaro Carreras fired into the corner of the Valencia goal from a narrow angle to make it 40 eight minutes from timeAtletico Madrid beat Sevilla 30 with Julian Alvarezs 64thminute penalty opening the floodgates for the home sideThiago Almada doubled the lead in the 77th minute and Antoine Griezmann added the third in the last minute of normal timeVillarreal registered a 40 victory over Rayo Vallecano who had travelled to the east of Spain after three consecutive winsGerard Moreno opened the scoring midway through the first half for the home side with a powerful angled shot with Alberto Moleiro Santi Comesana and Ayoze Perez hammering home Villarreals dominance in the second halfA late goal from Jon Gorrotxategi gave Real Sociedad a 32 win in the Basque derby against Athletic Club who twice came back from behindBrais Mendez opened the scoring after goalkeeper Unai Simon had blocked his initial effort but Gorka Guruzeta leveled before halftimeGoncalo Guedes put Real Sociedad back ahead before Robert Navarro scored from close range against his former club with the winner coming after the ball fell kindly to Gorrotxategi after two of his teammates badly mishit their shotsGetafe beat Girona 21 on Friday night thanks to goals from Mario Martin after 72 minutes and Borja Mayoral with four minutes to play The consolation for bottom side Girona came from a Cristhian Stuani penalty deep into injury time IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/real-madrid-cruise-past-valencia-villarreal-notches-easy-win-in-la-liga-646126.html Sun, 02 Nov 2025 10:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/dortmund-extends-winning-run-as-guirassy-strike-downs-augsburg-645947.html Augsburg Nov 1 Borussia Dortmund maintained their fine run of form with a narrow 10 victory over FC Augsburg thanks to Serhou Guirassys first Bundesliga goal in more than a month on Friday Coming off a taxing run of fixtures that saw them play seven matches in just three weeks Niko Kovac made six changes from the side that edged Eintracht Frankfurt on penalties in the DFB Cup Among them Ramy Bensebaini replaced the ill Nico Schlotterbeck while Guirassy returned to lead the line reports XinhuaIn a first half low on chances both sides struggled to find rhythm Dortmund dominated possession but moved the ball too slowly to unsettle Augsburgs compact defense The hosts reeling from recent heavy defeats offered little going forward and relied mostly on long balls and isolated counterattacksThe breakthrough arrived in the 37th minute when Chrislain Matsimas attempted clearance rebounded off teammate HanNoah Massengo allowing Guirassy to pounce and calmly slot home past Finn Dahmen ending his 438minute scoring droughtAfter the break Augsburg pressed higher in search of an equalizer but failed at lastDortmunds disciplined defensive display secured their fifth consecutive victory in all competitions and allowed them to close the gap to leaders Bayern Munich to four points in the standings while Augsburg extended their winless run to three matchesIt was a tough match We knew facing a side fighting against relegation would be difficult You must be efficient and take your chances and that worked for us today We are not fully satisfied with our performance in possession but the effort passion and attitude were exactly what we needed said KovacDortmund now turns attention to Tuesdays Champions League clash in Manchester while Augsburg faces a trip to Stuttgart next Sunday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/dortmund-extends-winning-run-as-guirassy-strike-downs-augsburg-645947.html Sat, 01 Nov 2025 09:52:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/neymar-eyes-return-after-thigh-injury-645953.html Rio de Janeiro Nov 1 Neymar could return from injury for Santos home clash against Fortaleza on Saturday as the club fights to avoid relegation from Brazils Serie A The 33yearold trained with Santos first team on Friday and is expected to be included in the matchday squad by manager Juan Pablo VojvodaLocal news outlet Globo Esporte said the former Barcelona and Paris SaintGermain forward would likely feature in the last 15 minutes of the clash at Vila Belmiro Stadium reports XinhuaNeymar has not played since suffering a thigh injury while training on September 18Brazils alltime leading scorer is racing to regain form and fitness ahead of next years FIFA World Cup to be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States Mexico and CanadaHe has not played for Brazil since a serious knee injury in October 2023 and national team manager Carlo Ancelotti has said only players who are fully fit will be considered for the World CupNeymar has managed 13 league appearances this season scoring three goals Eighttime Brazilian Serie A champions Santos are one point above the relegation zone after 29 matches They are placed 16th with 32 points and only have a slender one point lead against 17thplaced Esporte Clube Vitoria Santos has eight wins and as many defeats including 13 draws in 29 matches so far in the seasonEarlier this year Neymar extended his stay at Santos until December 2025 The former Barcelona and Paris SaintGermain striker returned to his boyhood club on a sixmonth deal in January after parting ways with Saudi Pro League side AlHilal IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/neymar-eyes-return-after-thigh-injury-645953.html Sat, 01 Nov 2025 10:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-reject-crystal-palaces-request-to-reschedule-league-cup-match-645982.html London Nov 1 Arsenal have rejected Crystal Palaces proposal to move their League Cup quarterfinal to December 23 with manager Mikel Arteta insisting it would be unfair for both sides to play two matches within 48 hours The fixture will now take place on December 16 part of a demanding period when Palace will play four matches in eight days against Manchester City December 14 KuPS in the Conference League December 18 and Leeds United December 21Palace argued that both clubs deserved equal recovery time citing that Arsenal host Wolves on December 13 They were open to scheduling the match on Christmas Eve but that plan was abandoned after discussions with the Metropolitan Police and Transport for London who warned of limited public transport servicesWhile Arsenal as the home side opposed a Christmas Eve fixture Palace later proposed December 23 as a compromise However that was also ruled out since it would fall just two days before Arsenals trip to Everton and coincide with Palaces Premier League away clash to LeedsI dont think thats fair because we have other competitions as well we have to try to accommodate We knew at the start of the season the competitions that each club is playing in Arteta saidOn balance we have to try to accommodate the best possible way for everybody There are other options to December 23 Believe me there are other options much better than this one We already suggested thatThe Spaniard cautioned that fixture congestion needs to be managed with fairness and player welfare as priorities warning that clubs could otherwise be forced to reconsider their participation in specific competitionsI hope we dont go that far If we have that big piece of paper with those two principles there in front before making any decision all of us in our industry we wont get there If we dont and we just ignore that then anything is possible he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-reject-crystal-palaces-request-to-reschedule-league-cup-match-645982.html Sat, 01 Nov 2025 12:30:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/martinelli-ruled-out-of-burnley-clash-salibas-participation-in-doubt-645898.html London Oct 31 Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta confirmed on Friday that Gabriel Martinelli will miss Saturdays Premier League trip to Burnley due to injury while William Saliba remains a doubt The update comes as the Gunners aim to continue their impressive run of form Martinelli the Brazil international was forced off during Arsenals 10 win over Crystal Palace on Sunday while Saliba was substituted at halftime at the Emirates after picking up a knockMartinelli is still out Saliba We have to wait and see We have another training session this afternoon and the rest are still getting closer I think in the right direction but not available yet Arteta told reporters on FridayAfter Martinelli missed Wednesdays 20 win over Brighton Arteta was asked about a timeline for his potential return We dont know yet but I think this game is going to come too early for him he addedThe Gunners boss also discussed longterm absentees Kai Havertz Noni Madueke Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus and when they might return to action Arteta was optimistic that he may have some fresh faces to select from in the near futureI would say weeks and some of them pretty soon hopefully if they keep evolving the way they are doing he added Its difficult to put a game you know that we have the international break which is a twoweek break there and after that I think well have some back the Arsenal manager saidI dont know if its going to be all of them some of them but well be quite close by then Im excited because they are tremendous players I see them work every single day how desperate they are to be part of the team the huge boost that is going to be for the squad to have those players again after such a long long time Im really happy that I think its going to be very soon IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/martinelli-ruled-out-of-burnley-clash-salibas-participation-in-doubt-645898.html Fri, 31 Oct 2025 20:58:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/no-surprises-but-big-wins-in-spanish-copa-del-rey-645717.html Madrid Oct 31 The third day of Copa del Rey firstround matches failed to produce any upsets but both Espanyol and Levante had close shaves away to lower league opposition Kike Garcia scored both goals in Espanyols 21 win away to Atletic Lleida which plays in the fourth tier of the Spanish gameKike opened the scoring with a secondminute penalty but Lleida made it level just three minutes later thanks to Aldo One although Kike restored Espanyols lead on the stroke of halftime with the topflight side suffering a few nervous moments in the final minutesLevante needed a 91stminute goal to avoid being taken into extra time against fourthtier Orihuela in a sevengoal thriller reports XinhuaUnai Elgezabal and Jose Luis Morales put Levante 20 up after 11 minutes and it looked easy for the topflight side but Javier Solsonas penalty got Orihuela back into the matchCarlos Espi reestablished Levantes twogoal lead in the 48th minute but Gonzalo Mirande pegged Levante back again just three minutes later and Hector Ayodele sent the home fans wild when he made it 33 in the last minute only for Espi to send Levante through with a 92ndminute winnerCelta Vigo eased into the second round with a 20 win away to lowly Puerto de Vega who dug in to reach halftime with the score still 00 before Oscar Marcos and a Damien Rodriguez penalty early in the second half gave Celta a comfortable if uninspiring winDeportivo Alaves was quickly in control away to sixthtier CD Getxo with Mariano Diaz and Carlos Vicente putting the topflight side 40 up by halftimeMariano completed his hattrick in the second half with Toni Martinez and Morcillo completing a 70 winReal Betis also had few problems with a 71 win away to Palma del RioThe second round of the Copa will be played between December 2 to 4 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/no-surprises-but-big-wins-in-spanish-copa-del-rey-645717.html Fri, 31 Oct 2025 10:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/liverpools-isak-alisson-to-miss-match-against-aston-villa-645871.html Liverpool Oct 31 Struggling Liverpool will be without striker Alexander Isak and goalkeeper Alisson for the Premier League clash against Aston Villa on Sunday Liverpool are eager to end a dismal stretch of six defeats in their last seven matches across competitions However manager Arne Slot is dealing with selection concerns with Isak and Alisson still sidelined Slot confirmed on Friday that he was 999 sure both would miss the gameMidfielder Ryan Gravenberch could return after taking part in Thursdays training a rare positive for Slots reigning champions who have slipped to seventh place seven points adrift of leaders Arsenal and are staring at a challenging run of fixturesIn the end phase of the injury things can slow down a bit or things can go faster but Ryan trained with us yesterday and he will train with us today and then we will make the call whether he is able to start Slot saidAston Villa head into the clash in fine form having won their last four league games They sit just below Slots Liverpool in the table but are level on points with the struggling championsLiverpools challenging schedule continues with a Champions League showdown against La Liga leaders Real Madrid on Wednesday followed by a Premier League trip to fifthplaced Manchester City on November 9The Merseyside clubs shaky start capped by a dismal 30 League Cup exit to Crystal Palace in midweek comes despite a massive 446 million pound outlay on new signings during the summer transfer windowMeanwhile Slot is convinced with his squad and blamed it on luckWe miss nothing he said I am completely happy with the team and with all the quality that we have and I am also completely convinced by the strategy and the policy that we have but not all of them have had a proper preseason or have been injuredWhen three or four are injured you go back to 16 players Slot added You have to keep them fit as we did last season A few others have missed out on preseason or had injuries during preseasonIt has been more difficult than last season to keep them all available Maybe last season we were more lucky and now we are more unlucky But no excuses for our results before people say this IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/liverpools-isak-alisson-to-miss-match-against-aston-villa-645871.html Fri, 31 Oct 2025 18:08:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/super-cup-kolkata-derby-on-cards-as-east-bengal-face-mohun-bagan-in-fatorda-645677.html Fatorda Oct 30 Two weeks ago the lights at the Vivekananda Yuba Bharati Krirangan flickered over a heartbreak that still lingers in East Bengal FCs memory A tense IFA Shield final had ended in penaltyshootout defeat at the hands of Mohun Bagan SG and with it a familiar ache returned to the Red and Golds so close yet once again outmanoeuvred by their bitter rivalsOn Friday East Bengal will get a shot at taking revenge against their arch rivals when the two giants collide once more at the PJN Stadium in Fatorda Goa at 1930 ISTThis final Group A clash of the AIFF Super Cup 202526 carries permutations as intricate as the rivalry itself If either East Bengal or Mohun Bagan win the derby the winners will march straight into the semifinals If the teams play out a scored draw East Bengal will advanceBut the equation twists dramatically if the match ends goalless The result of the earlier match between Dempo SC and Chennaiyin FC played at 1630 at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim Goa will come into play If Dempo defeat Chennaiyin by five or more goals they will leapfrog both Kolkata clubs to qualify If they win by fewer than a fourgoal margin East Bengal will progressHowever if Dempo win exactly 40 it will all come down to a draw of lots between the Golden Eagles and the Red and Gold Brigade provided the derby ends goalless Theres one more wrinkle yet If Dempo win by a fourgoal margin despite having conceded against Chennaiyin and the derby ends goalless then the Goan club will qualifyIn essence East Bengal hold the upper hand but Mohun Bagans fate is still in their own hands win and they are through With such fine margins and enormous stakes the third Kolkata Derby of the 202526 season promises nothing less than a thriller under the Goan floodlightsThe arithmetic adds tension to an already combustible fixture but East Bengal head coach scar Bruzón has repeatedly warned his players against complacency Were not thinking about a draw he insisted Mohun Bagan can score at any moment So we will go out to win Our mentality will be the same from the first minute to the lastBruzóns words reflect a squad rediscovering its rhythm Recent East Bengal performances in the derby proved that they could match the ISL champions Mohun Bagan SG stride for strideIn the ongoing AIFF Super Cup the Red and Golds have scored six goals in two games their attacking fluidity built around Naorem Mahesh Singhs creativity Bipin Singhs directness and Hamid Ahadads presence up frontSpanish midfielder Saúl Crespo described the teams buoyant mood The players are enjoying every moment Its like a breath of fresh air after the win over Chennaiyin We know what this derby means We can feel that energy Crespo saidFor Mohun Bagan SG the AIFF Super Cup campaign has been steady but not spectacular José Molinas men remain unbeaten yet short of their trademark cutting edge as the goalless draw with Dempo SC showedThe Mariners defensive organisation marshalled by captain Subhasish Bose has been immaculate but goals have been scarce Now with everything on the line Australian forwards Jason Cummings and Jamie Maclaren must rediscover their sparkThis season hasnt been easy Molina admitted But weve been here before We will fight for the supporters and try to make them happyMolina also believes that midfield control will be decisive in the derby Apuia and Anirudh Thapa will look to dictate tempo for Bagan threading passes for their forwards while Bruzóns Crespo and Lalchungnunga aim to choke supply lines in what promises to be a bruising tactical contest At this point there arent many surprises left Both teams know each other very well Molina said Itll come down to who takes their chancesHistory however defies logic Mohun Bagans captain Subhasish Bose captured the emotion succinctly Every derby feels like a final and this one truly is The fans expect us to win and well give everything His words echo the mood across both camps a mix of nerves fire and deeprooted prideThe match will be broadcast live on Star Sports Khel and streamed on JioHotstar IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/super-cup-kolkata-derby-on-cards-as-east-bengal-face-mohun-bagan-in-fatorda-645677.html Thu, 30 Oct 2025 23:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/super-cup-kerala-blasters-rally-to-beat-10-man-rajasthan-united-645683.html Bambolim Oct 30 A late header from new signing Koldo Obieta helped Kerala Blasters FC begin their AIFF Super Cup 202526 campaign with a hardearned 10 win against a 10man Rajasthan United FC at the GMC Stadium on Thursday In a tense opening group D encounter Rajasthan were reduced to ten men with Gursimrat Singh Gill seeing a straight red card but still pushed the Blasters all the way before Obietas strike in the dying minutes sealed the pointsIt was a match that tested both patience and endurance For long stretches it seemed that the Blasters heavy favourites against their ILeague opponents would be held to a stalemate Rajasthan despite their numerical disadvantage defended bravely throwing bodies in front of every cross and shotThe early exchanges saw Rajasthan play with surprising confidence Ghanaian midfielder Ebenezer Amoh Kings one of their new signings came close in the ninth minute when his driven shot whistled past the postKerala Blasters meanwhile took time to find their rhythm relying heavily on Adrian Lunas setpiece delivery In the 23rd minute Danish Farooqs header from Lunas corner grazed the crossbar while moments later Muhammed Saheefs header was cleared off the line by Gursimrat Singh Gill to keep it goalless at the intervalJust after the restart however Rajasthans resistance suffered a major setback Gill who had earlier saved his team with a great clearance was shown a straight red card for bringing down Nihal Sudheesh who was clean through on goal The dismissal left the Desert Warriors down to ten men forcing them to sit deep and defend in numbers for the remainder of the matchDespite the numerical advantage Kerala struggled to make it count Rajasthans goalkeeper Bhabindra Malla Thakuri stood firm while striker Robinson Blandón kept the Blasters backline on edge with his rare counterattacks In the 70th minute Naoba Meiteis low cross flashed across the face of goal inches away from Blandons outstretched bootThe breakthrough finally came in the 87th minute Defender Juan Rodriguez surged down the right and sent in a teasing cross Rising highest in the crowded box Koldo Obieta met it perfectly with a thumping header that flew past Malla into the far corner his debut goal for the Blasters and the only one of the matchRajasthan almost equalised in stoppage time forcing Nora Fernandes into a reflex save before Harmanjot Khabra made a lastditch clearance to prevent a second goal for Kerala Blasters IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/super-cup-kerala-blasters-rally-to-beat-10-man-rajasthan-united-645683.html Thu, 30 Oct 2025 23:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/bayern-beat-cologne-to-claim-record-14th-straight-victory-in-all-competitions-645495.html Cologne Oct 30 Bayern Munich advanced to the German Cup round of 16 after recovering from an early setback to defeat a spirited Cologne 41 on Wednesday The win marked Bayerns 14th straight victory in all competitions a new record for clubs from Europes top five leagues surpassing AC Milans 13match start to the 19921993 seasonThe hosts began with purpose pressing aggressively and unsettling the Bundesliga champions Their bright start paid off after half an hour when Ragnar Ache rose highest to nod in Isak Johannessons corner Yet their lead lasted only five minutes as Luis Diaz leveled from close range despite strong suspicions of offside in the buildupThe equalizer shifted momentum firmly toward the visitors Harry Kane put Bayern ahead before the break with a composed finish spinning away from his marker and curling into the far corner Cologne who had shown impressive organization early on faded after the interval as Bayern tightened their gripKane added his second midway through the second half heading home Joshua Kimmichs corner for his 22nd goal of the campaign in just 14 appearances Substitute Michael Olise completed the scoring finishing off a swift counterattack set up by Diaz Cologne nearly pulled one back when Linton Maina struck the post late on but Bayerns control remained absoluteWe showed great mentality today After going 10 down we turned it around to lead 21 before halftime In the second half we kept our intensity high and remained dangerous throughout so overall I am very pleased with the performance said Bayern coach Vincent KompanyBayern hosts Bayer Leverkusen in Saturdays Bundesliga evening fixture while Cologne visits newly promoted Hamburg on SundayElsewhere in the second round of the German Cup Stuttgart beat Mainz 20 through goals from Luca Jaquez and Atakan KarazorLeverkusen overcame a stubborn tenman Paderborn 42 after extra time while Freiburg defeated Dusseldorf 31Magdeburg downed Illertissen 30 Kaiserslautern edged Furth 10 Darmstadt cruised past Schalke 40 and Union Berlin prevailed 21 over Arminia Bielefeld in extra time IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/bayern-beat-cologne-to-claim-record-14th-straight-victory-in-all-competitions-645495.html Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/bayern-beat-cologne-to-claim-14th-straight-victory-in-all-competitions-645497.html Cologne Oct 30 Bayern Munich advanced to the German Cup round of 16 after recovering from an early setback to defeat a spirited Cologne 41 on Wednesday The win marked Bayerns 14th straight victory in all competitions a new record for clubs from Europes top five leagues surpassing AC Milans 13match start to the 19921993 seasonThe hosts began with purpose pressing aggressively and unsettling the Bundesliga champions Their bright start paid off after half an hour when Ragnar Ache rose highest to nod in Isak Johannessons corner Yet their lead lasted only five minutes as Luis Diaz leveled from close range despite strong suspicions of offside in the buildupThe equalizer shifted momentum firmly toward the visitors Harry Kane put Bayern ahead before the break with a composed finish spinning away from his marker and curling into the far corner Cologne who had shown impressive organization early on faded after the interval as Bayern tightened their gripKane added his second midway through the second half heading home Joshua Kimmichs corner for his 22nd goal of the campaign in just 14 appearances Substitute Michael Olise completed the scoring finishing off a swift counterattack set up by Diaz Cologne nearly pulled one back when Linton Maina struck the post late on but Bayerns control remained absoluteWe showed great mentality today After going 10 down we turned it around to lead 21 before halftime In the second half we kept our intensity high and remained dangerous throughout so overall I am very pleased with the performance said Bayern coach Vincent KompanyBayern hosts Bayer Leverkusen in Saturdays Bundesliga evening fixture while Cologne visits newly promoted Hamburg on SundayElsewhere in the second round of the German Cup Stuttgart beat Mainz 20 through goals from Luca Jaquez and Atakan KarazorLeverkusen overcame a stubborn tenman Paderborn 42 after extra time while Freiburg defeated Dusseldorf 31Magdeburg downed Illertissen 30 Kaiserslautern edged Furth 10 Darmstadt cruised past Schalke 40 and Union Berlin prevailed 21 over Arminia Bielefeld in extra time IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/bayern-beat-cologne-to-claim-14th-straight-victory-in-all-competitions-645497.html Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:49:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/leagues-cup-palace-eliminate-liverpool-arsenal-man-city-chelsea-enter-qf-645509.html London Oct 30 Liverpools nightmare run persisted as the Reds were knocked out of the Carabao Cup after Crystal Palace secured a 30 victory at Anfield This was Liverpools sixth defeat in seven matches this season It is the first time since 1953 that the Reds have endured five consecutive domestic losses with their only recent victory coming in the UEFA Champions League against Eintracht FrankfurtSince 27 September no team has lost more games than Liverpool in Europes bigfive leagues It is also the third time in 80 days that Liverpool have been beaten by Crystal Palace following their penalty shootout loss in the FA Community Shield in August and their 21 Premier League defeat at Selhurst Park which began this losing streak according to the Premier LeagueIt marked Liverpools heaviest defeat under Slot who must pray they can stop the rot when Aston Villa arrive at Anfield on SaturdayIn another match Premier League leaders Arsenal secured their eighth consecutive victory bringing them nearer to ending their EFL Cup droughtSecondhalf goals from Ethan Nwaneri and Bukayo Saka were sufficient for the Gunners to reach the last eight of a competition they have not won since 1993Arsenal will face Crystal Palace in the quarterfinalsMeanwhile Manchester City narrowly escaped a scare against EFL Championship side Swansea to secure their place in the quarterfinals with a hardfought 31 victorySwamsea pushed the City all the way taking an early lead and going close to doubling their advantage before Jeremy Dokus deflected shot levelled the scores before halftimeAlthough City dominated much of the play it wasnt until the 77th minute that the Blues finally took the lead in the game as Omar Marmoush thundered home an angled driveRayan Cherkis addedtime strike then provided a bit more gloss to the scoreline as Pep Guardiolas side secured a place in the last eight of the competitionCity are targeting a ninth League Cup trophy with only Liverpool having achieved more than our current tally of eight They will face Brentford at the Etihad Stadium in the quarterfinal of the Carabao Cup starting on December 15Chelsea edged past a late scare to secure their spot in the Carabao Cup quarterfinals after an exciting tie where both Andrey Santos and Jamie Gittens scored their first goals for the BluesChelsea will face Cardiff City away in Decembers quarterfinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/leagues-cup-palace-eliminate-liverpool-arsenal-man-city-chelsea-enter-qf-645509.html Thu, 30 Oct 2025 14:54:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/its-something-extraordinary-but-id-like-to-be-there-messi-hopeful-for-2026-wc-despite-age-concerns--645187.html New Delhi Oct 28 Lionel Messi has expressed hope of representing Argentina at the 2026 FIFA World Cup aiming to help the defending champions retain their title when the tournament takes place in North America next summer despite fitness and age concerns Messi has been playing professionally since 2004 He made his La Liga debut with Barcelona in October of that year at only 17 years old becoming at the time the youngest player to play for the Spanish clubThe eighttime Ballon dOr winner told NBC News that he will evaluate how his body feels before deciding whether to participate in the tournament across the United States Mexico and CanadaIts something extraordinary to be able to be in a World Cup and I would love to said Messi who will turn 39 next June I would like to be there to be well and be an important part of helping my national team if I am there And Im going to assess that on a daytoday basis when I start preseason next year with Inter Miami and see if I can really be 100 if I can be useful to the group to the national team and then make a decisionObviously Im really eager because its a World Cup Were coming off winning the last World Cup and being able to defend it on the field again is spectacular because its always a dream to play with the national team especially in official competitions he addedIn 2021 Messi left Barcelona and moved to the French club Paris SaintGermain After two years with PSG Messi signed with the American league Major League Soccer MLS club Inter MiamiHaving enjoyed a decorated club career Messis international success came in the 2022 FIFA World Cup when Argentina defeated France 42 on penalties to win its first trophy since 1986 Messi won his second Golden Ball and was voted the tournaments best playerIt was the dream of my life It was also true that it was the only thing missing at a professional level because I had been lucky enough to have achieved everything at an individual level at a team level with Barcelona and I think thats every players dream When you ask a player what their dream is its to be world champion Messi said of the 2022 World Cup win IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/its-something-extraordinary-but-id-like-to-be-there-messi-hopeful-for-2026-wc-despite-age-concerns--645187.html Tue, 28 Oct 2025 11:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/india-u20-women-held-by-kazakhstan-u19-in-second-friendly-645241.html New Delhi Oct 28 The India U20 womens team drew 11 against Kazakhstan U19 in the second and final friendly at the BIIK Sports Complex in Shymkent Kazakhstan on Tuesday Both goals came in the second half Adeliya Bekkozhina handed the lead to the hosts in the 47th minute but Pooja equalised in the 55th with her second goal in as many gamesAs part of their preparations for the AFC U20 Womens Asian Cup 2026 the Young Tigresses played two friendly matches against Kazakhstan U19 in Shymkent India won the first friendly 32 on SaturdayThese matches will serve as crucial preparation for the upcoming AFC U20 Womens Asian Cup scheduled for April 2026 where India will compete after historic qualification earlier this yearThe Young Tigresses under head coach Joakim Alexandersson underwent an intensive training camp at the PadukoneDravid Centre for Sports Excellence in Bengaluru before departing for Kazakhstan on October 23 The squad worked on tactical awareness physical conditioning and matchreadiness as part of their buildup to the continental tournamentFor India these friendlies marked another important step in their steady progress at the youth level The team qualified for the AFC Womens Asian Cup for the first time in 20 years after a dramatic win over Myanmar in August This result reflected the growing strength and resilience within the national setup The exposure from these international fixtures is invaluable for the players many of whom experienced these playing conditions for the first timeBoth matches took place in Shymkent one of Kazakhstans key football centres known for its modern facilities and competitive environment The games provided a vital learning experience for the Indian U20 team as they continue their journey toward establishing themselves among Asias rising football powers IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/india-u20-women-held-by-kazakhstan-u19-in-second-friendly-645241.html Tue, 28 Oct 2025 15:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/iran-blank-nepal-to-win-tri-nation-womens-international-friendlies-event-in-shillong-644806.html Shillong Oct 24 Iran were crowned winners of the TriNation Womens International Friendlies after a dominant 30 win over Nepal at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Shillong on Friday The victory coming on the back of their earlier 20 triumph against India meant Iran secured two wins out of two and an unassailable lead in the standings with six points India and Nepal will meet in the last friendly game on October 27 Substitute Sara Didar started from where she left off in the last game against India as she opened the scoring in the 49th minute Irans second and third goals were scored by Zahra Ghanbari 52 and Shabnam Behesht 57 respectivelyThe evening started with Nepal showing admirable resilience against an Iranian team ranked 70th in the world as they held their shape in the opening halfIran dominated possession dictating the tempo and launching wave after wave of attacks yet Nepals disciplined backline and determined pressing frustrated their opponentsNepal grew in confidence as the first half wore on carving out a few halfchances of their own Though their finishing was wayward the sheer grit to fight Iran in midfield was admirableIran meanwhile appeared increasingly unsettled by Nepals stubborn defence The first 45 minutes ended goalless but it was clear the match was teetering on the edge of a decisive breakthroughThat breakthrough came swiftly after the restart Just three minutes into the second half Sara Didar who had scored a brace against India in the previous match again made her presence felt Latching onto a long ball from goalkeeper Raha Yazdani she muscled past defender Bimala BK and coolly slotted home past goalkeeper Anjila Tumbapo Subba to give Iran a 10 lead in the 49th minuteIran smelled blood and Nepal despite their spirited defence in the first half began to unravel Three minutes later Zahra Ghanbari doubled the lead with a superbly executed freekick from the right flank Her curling delivery completely outfoxed Subba and nestled into the topright cornerIrans third goal came in the 57th minute and it was the pick of the lot Shabnam Behesht unleashed a stunning leftfooted strike from 20 yards a rising effort that flew past Subba with pace and precision It was a moment of pure class that effectively killed off the contestThree goals in eight blistering minutes broke Nepals resistance and confirmed Irans dominance The final whistle brought Iranian celebrations as the visitors lifted the trophy after a statement performance IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/iran-blank-nepal-to-win-tri-nation-womens-international-friendlies-event-in-shillong-644806.html Sat, 25 Oct 2025 00:03:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-leeds-united-beat-west-ham-2-1-for-third-win-644826.html Leeds Oct 25 Leeds United returned to winning ways in the Premier League with a hardfought 21 victory over West Ham United at Elland Road on Friday courtesy of early goals from Brenden Aaronson and Joe Rodon The win marked Leeds third of the season lifting them to 13th place in the table while West Ham remained second from bottom after yet another frustrating night for new coach Nuno Espirito Santo who is still searching for his first win since taking chargeLeeds got off to the perfect start capitalizing on the visitors poor defending at set pieces to seize control within the opening 15 minutes In just the third minute Aaronson pounced from close range after a goalmouth scramble finishing past Alphonse Areola who had initially saved the first attemptWest Ham nearly hit back through Jarrod Bowen whose spectacular bicycle kick in the 10th minute was smartly kept out by Lucas Perri But the home side doubled their advantage five minutes later when Rodon rose highest to head home from Sean Longstaffs corner making it 20 and sending the Elland Road crowd into rapturesThe Hammers struggled to find rhythm in the first half though Lucas Paqueta thought he had pulled one back in the 34th minute only for VAR to confirm he was offside In a bid to shift momentum Callum Wilson was introduced early but Leeds continued to threaten with Aaronson striking the crossbar early in the second half and Jack Harrison forcing a fine save from AreolaWest Ham finally found a late consolation in stoppage time when Mateus Fernandes glanced in Bowens curling cross into the far corner However with just four minutes added on it proved too little too lateThe result ended a run of four league games without a win for Leeds while West Hams struggles continued marking their worst start to a season since 197374 when they had the same record after nine games IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-leeds-united-beat-west-ham-2-1-for-third-win-644826.html Sat, 25 Oct 2025 10:02:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/punjab-fc-sign-brazilian-defender-pablo-renan-dos-santos-on-one-year-deal-644740.html New Delhi Oct 24 Indian Super League side Punjab FC announced the signing of veteran Brazilian centreback Pablo Renan dos Santos on a oneyear deal on Friday The 33yearold joins on a free transfer ahead of the Indian Super Cup 2025 which begins in Goa on October 25This is Punjab FCs second foreign acquisition of the week following the signing of Spanish midfielder Dani Ramirez on October 22 Pablo known simply as Pablo brings with him a wealth of international experience having played across Brazil Europe and the Middle East over a career that spans more than a decadeExcited for his new challenge in India Pablo said he was eager to make an impact Punjab FC is ready for a big season and Im here to fight for the badge the team and the supporters who believe in us he said Im ready to embrace the challenge here in IndiaThe Brazilian started his professional career with Paysandu where he played for six seasons in Brazils second and third divisions In 2017 he transferred to Europe to join Portuguese Primeira Liga team CS Marítimo making 25 appearances and receiving praise for his composure and defensive awareness His performances led to a fiveyear contract with SC Braga in 2018While at Braga Pablo continued his development through loan spells with clubs in Russia Turkey and Portugal Rubin Kazan Hatayspor and Moreirense respectively before moving to Saudi Arabia to represent Al Raed in the 202223 Saudi Pro League season Most recently he featured for Armenian club FC Noah where he made 13 appearances and impressively scored four goals highlighting his ability to contribute at both ends of the pitchWelcoming the signing Nikolaos Topoliatis Technical Director of Punjab FC emphasised Pablos importance to the teams plans We are extremely pleased to secure the signing of Pablo Renan dos Santos Topoliatis said Adding a centreback of Pablos quality and experience was a top priority for us He brings exceptional defensive leadership positional awareness and composure under pressure IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/punjab-fc-sign-brazilian-defender-pablo-renan-dos-santos-on-one-year-deal-644740.html Fri, 24 Oct 2025 18:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/chennaiyin-fc-announce-all-indian-24-man-squad-for-aiff-super-cup-644764.html Panji Oct 24 Led by former India international attacker Clifford Miranda a 24man Chennaiyin FC squad will take part in the 202526 AIFF Super Cup Drawn in Group A the Marina Machans will kick off their campaign with a crunch tie against Mohun Bagan Super Giant on October 25 at the Fatorda Stadium before facing East Bengal FC and Dempo SCMiranda a previous Super Cupwinning coach possesses an innate understanding of the Indian football ecosystem drawing from a long and successful career on both sides of the pitch The 45caps India international who also took the reins at Goa and Odisha becomes the clubs first Indian head coach and will lead an allIndian squad through the tournament Speaking in a prematch press conference Miranda said For most of the teams not training for more than five months is always difficult Within a short period of time we need to turn up and play our first game and then play three games in six days This is how we need to adapt sometimes this is how football is how life is It is difficult in terms of physicality adaptation but we are ready Hopefully we improve matchbymatch I truly believe in the players we have We have some really good players wanting to prove themselves We should and must be ready for the 25thIts an opportunity for the players to show that we have come a long waytalking not just from a Chennaiyin point of view but an Indian point of view We need to show that we can do it on our own and not just in terms of the result in terms of the effort the mentality the attitude to show up despite all the odds No one can take it away from us because we are the best at it added the head coach on the allIndian makeup of his squadMirandas Chennaiyin FC squad for the Super Cup features a balanced blend of experience and youth combining established firstteam regulars with promising talents from the reserve setup The team boasts strong depth across all departments from reliable custodians to a solid defensive unit led by Pritam Kotal a dynamic midfield anchored by Jiteshwor Singh and Lalrinliana Hnamte and an energetic attack spearheaded by Irfan Yadwad and Farukh Choudhary Joining Miranda at the presser Farukh commented Since the time I have joined the club after playing for the national team it has been very good the training sessions Obviously we have had a very short time to prepare But as the coach said we need to adapt Playing three games in six days is challenging but we are ready mentally Personally I am very happy coming back to the club and playing football again and looking forward to the game tomorrowFollowing their match against Mohun Bagan Chennaiyin FC are scheduled to play East Bengal on October 28 and Dempo on October 31 at the GMC Athletic Stadium in Bambolim Chennaiyin FCs 24man squad for AIFF Super Cup 202526Goalkeepers Samik Mitra MD Nawaz Mohanraj K Defenders PC Laldinpuia Ankit Mukherjee Mandar Rao Dessai Pritam Kotal Vignesh D Laldinliana Renthlei Sk Rajjak Ali Klusner John Manuel Pereira Raj BasforeMidfielders Farukh Choudhary Jitendra Singh Maheson Singh Lalrinliana Hnamte Jiteshwor Singh Karthick Thirumalai Raman Singh Ngangom Solaimalai R Kingslee FernandesForwards Irfan Yadwad Gurkirat Singh Vivek S IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/chennaiyin-fc-announce-all-indian-24-man-squad-for-aiff-super-cup-644764.html Fri, 24 Oct 2025 19:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-bellinghams-strike-sees-madrid-past-juventus-644439.html Madrid Oct 23 Real Madrid beat Juventus 10 at the Bernabeu to continue their flawless start to the Champions League campaign and make it nine points from three games Madrid dominated the first half but it wasnt until after the break when they broke the deadlock Bellingham turning home on 57 after Vini Jrs fine effort came back off the postXabi Alonsos boys quickly took control of the ball but a welldrilled fiveman defence made it difficult to carve out too many opportunities around the opposition box The visitors set up to counterattack and posed a threat with longdistance efforts as wellMcKennie and Gatti both tried their luck in the opening quarter of an hour but Courtois was on hand to keep them out Arda Gulers 16thminute corner was headed towards goal by Tchouameni but the ball ended up in Di Gregorios glovesHalfway through the first period Brahim was on the end of a swift transition but his shot across goal was well turned behind for a corner by the visiting goalkeeper Valverde swung the ball in and Tchouamenis effort from inside the area was deflected wide by Kalulu as it looked set to find the back of the netMadrids clearest chances came on the stroke of halftime The first fell to Mbappe who picked up Brahims impressive pass and unleashed a powerful leftfooted drive from inside the box but Di Gregorios superb reaction stop denied the Frenchman on 40 Three minutes later he danced away from Cambiaso with some sublime skill and pulled the ball back for Militao who fired overThe second half got underway with a warning shot as Vlahovic raced through oneonone with Courtois on 50 following a mazy run that began inside his own half but our goalkeeper came out on top Seven minutes later and Real Madrid were in frontSome lovely individual play by Vini Jr saw him surrounded by opposition defenders but he still managed to squeeze a shot off When it came back off the upright Bellingham was in just the right placeFrom there to the end Madrid barely gave the opposition a sniff closing the game out well to clinch a big win with just four days to go until the Clasico IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-bellinghams-strike-sees-madrid-past-juventus-644439.html Thu, 23 Oct 2025 09:37:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-liverpool-thrash-frankfurt-chelsea-dominate-10-man-ajax-644448.html Frankfurt Oct 23 Liverpool ended their fourmatch losing streak in all competitions as three goals in ten firsthalf minutes sparked a comfortable 51 win over Frankfurt The Reds came from behind at Deutsche Bank Park to snap a fourgame losing run and put their second victory on the board in this seasons league phaseAfter a 26thminute opener from Rasmus Kristensen Hugo Ekitike levelled proceedings on his return to the club he departed in the summerVirgil van Dijk and Ibrahima Konate then scored from corners later on in the first half to turn the affair around Secondhalf finishes from Cody Gakpo and Dominik Szoboszlai made it a convincing win for Arne Slots menElsewhere it was another memorable night under the lights at Stamford Bridge as Chelsea romped to a 51 win over tenman AjaxThe Blues were looking dangerous even before Kenneth Taylor saw red for a late challenge on 18 minutes and when Marc Guiu scored a minute later the result never looked in doubtMoises Caicedo added a deflected second and whilst Wout Weghorst pulled a goal back five minutes later from the penalty spot two penalties of our on on the verge of halftime from Enzo Fernandez and Estevao Willian meant we lead 41 at the breakSubstitute Tyrique George made it five just after the interval and the Blues continued to attack Ajax throughout the second period but had to settle for 51In another action Tottenham Hotspur maintained their unbeaten start as Guglielmo Vicario produced an inspired display to deny Monaco with a goalless drawThe goalkeeper twice came to the visitors rescue during the first half producing smart reflex saves to thwart Folarin Balogun from close rangeVicario then brilliantly kept out Jordan Tezes header after the break with Monaco continuing to look the more likely to scoreTakumi Minamimo flashed a volley narrowly over the crossbar later on but the hosts had to settle for a point IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-liverpool-thrash-frankfurt-chelsea-dominate-10-man-ajax-644448.html Thu, 23 Oct 2025 10:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-beat-atletico-madrid-to-maintain-perfect-champions-league-start-644254.html London Oct 22 Arsenal produced a breathtaking 14minute spell to score four goals and demolish Atletico Madrid extending its flawless start to the league phase of the Champions League The emphatic victory means Arsenal has won all three of its opening Champions League fixtures without conceding a single goalBoth sides struck the woodwork before Gabriel headed in Declan Rices freekick to give the hosts the advantage shortly before the hourThree further goals followed in the next 13 minutes as Gabriel Martinelli curled into the corner before Viktor Gyökeres double added extra gloss to the scorelineThe Gunners began brightly with Eberechi Eze striking the crossbar via a deflection early on while Atleticos Julian Alvarez almost punished goalkeeper David Raya who was caught off his line by a longrange effortThe first half remained tight and tactical with few clear chances for either side That continued after the break until centerback Gabriel Magalhaes broke the deadlock in the 57th minute heading in Declan Rices pinpoint freekickThat goal unleashed Arsenals attacking fury Myles LewisSkellys driving run set up Gabriel Martinelli to curl home a superb second before striker Viktor Gyokeres bundled in his first Arsenal goal in eight matches to make it 30Just three minutes later the Swedish forward struck again this time turning in Gabriels knockdown from a dangerous corner to complete a stunning burst of four goals in just 14 minutesEarlier Fermin Lopez hit a hattrick as Barcelona beat Olympiacos earning an emphatic 61 first home winThe Spain wingers composed finishes gave the hosts a 20 halftime advantage before Ayoub El Kaabi replied with a penalty for Olympiacos who had Santiago Hezze dismissed for a second caution soon afterwardsLamine Yamals spot kick proved the first of four goals in 12 minutes for rampant Barça Fermín López completing his treble in between two Marcus Rashford strikes as the fivetime champions reached six points IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-beat-atletico-madrid-to-maintain-perfect-champions-league-start-644254.html Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/haalands-neat-finish-and-silvas-header-help-man-city-see-off-villarreal-in-ucl-644261.html Villarreal Oct 22 Firsthalf goals from Erling Haaland and Bernardo secured an impressive 20 Champions League win away to Villarreal It was a mature and polished performance by Pep Guardiolas side who continue to impress this season And the win on Spanish soil ensures the Blues keep up with the early league phase pacesetters after last seasons frustrations as well as extending our unbeaten run in all competitions to nineCity moved up to fifth spot in the Champions League group phase table as a result of their win in SpainIt gives the Blues an impressive seven points from the first three games with a goal difference of 4With successive home games to come against German sides Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen to come in November it leaves City in a position of strength with only three games playedCity were in command from the word go Savinho and Haaland exchanged passes that ended with Jeremy Doku halfconnecting with a low shot that felt like an opportunity missed all inside the first minuteThe Blues looked composed and were controlling much of the play with the hosts reduced to the odd scrap here and there so it was no surprise when the Spaniards fell behind on 17 minutesSavinho found the clever run of Rico Lewis and his intelligent pull back was met sweetly by Haaland to give the keeper no chance with his 24th goal for club and country this seasonVillarreals Gueye flashed a fierce shot just wide but an equaliser would have felt harshCitys second of the evening would give the game a more realistic look as Bernardos welltime run onto Savinhos cross ended with the skipper heading home from eight yards five minutes before the breakHaaland went close to adding to his incredible tally on a couple of occasions in the closing stages and was only denied a second by a superb save by Luiz JuniorThere were halfchances at either end but City thoroughly deserved the victory against a side who sit third in La Liga and hadnt tasted defeat on home soil for seven months IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/haalands-neat-finish-and-silvas-header-help-man-city-see-off-villarreal-in-ucl-644261.html Wed, 22 Oct 2025 12:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/spanish-midfielder-dani-ramirez-joins-punjab-fc-ahead-of-super-cup-644329.html Mohali Oct 22 Punjab FC have strengthened their first team with the signing of Spanish attacking midfielder Dani Ramirez Fernandez who becomes the clubs second overseas signing of the season after Samir Zeljkovic The 33yearold has joined Punjab FC on a oneyear contract on a free transfer Ramirez last played for Manisa FK in Turkeys TFF First LeagueBorn in Leganes Spain Dani Ramirez began his youth career with his hometown club CD Leganés before moving to Real Madrid where he spent four seasons developing through the youth setup and featuring for Real Madrid C In 2014 he joined Valencia CF B continuing his progression in Spains competitive lower divisionsRamirezs journey also saw him represent Getafe CF and Internacional de Madrid before moving abroad in 2017 to join Polish club Stomil Olsztyn SA His impressive performances earned him a move to LKS Lods where he played for two seasons before signing with Lech Poznan where he won the Ekstraklasa title in the 202122 seasonFollowing his success in Poland Ramírez had a spell in Belgium with Zulte Waregem before returning to LKS LODZMost recently with Manisa FK in Turkey during the 202425 season he made 34 appearances contributing seven goals and four assists showcasing his creativity and experience in midfieldA technically gifted playmaker known for his vision passing range and attacking intelligence Dani Ramírez brings valuable experience from multiple European leagues and is expected to play a key role in Punjab FCs campaign ahead of the AIFF Super Cup 2025 starting October 25 in GoaSpeaking about joining Punjab FC Ramirez said Joining Punjab FC feels like the perfect next step Im genuinely thrilled to start this new chapter and contribute Having played in various leagues globally Im eager to use that experience to help the team achieve its goals The clubs vision is inspiring and Im ready to dive in meet the squad and give absolutely everything for the club and our supportersTechnical director of Punjab FC Nikolaos Topoliatis said Our approach to recruitment has always been strategic by identifying players who fit our system but also bring strong character and professionalism to the squad In Dani we have a player with a proven track record and experience across multiple countriesThis signing was carefully considered to strengthen key areas of the team and ensure balance across the pitch We are confident he will not only elevate the performance level but also positively influence the development of our younger players IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/spanish-midfielder-dani-ramirez-joins-punjab-fc-ahead-of-super-cup-644329.html Wed, 22 Oct 2025 23:46:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-2025-26-four-things-we-learned-in-spains-matchday-9-644119.html Madrid Spain Oct 20 La Liga returned to action this weekend with both Real Madrid and FC Barcelona having to work very hard for their wins just a week before they meet next weekend Real Madrid are currently leading the standings with 24 points from nine matches with eight wins and one defeat Barcelona are second with 22 points from seven wins one draw and one loss Villareal are third with five wins two draws and two defeats in nine matches Here are some things we learned this weekend in Spain1 Mbappe key again as Getafe commits football suicideKylian Mbappe again scored the only goal of the game as Real Madrid claimed a 10 win away to a wellorganised Getafe side that made it difficult for Xabi Alonsos side to create clear chancesMbappes job was made much easier when Getafe substitute Alex Nyom was sent off just three minutes before the goal for a wild challenge just moments after he had been brought on to toughen up the defense reports XinhuaFour minutes after the goal Alex Sancris left Getafe with nine men for a violent and completely unnecessary action on Vinicius Junior If its hard to beat Real Madrid with 11 men with nine it is completely impossible2 Barcelona defense gives Real reasons for optimismAlthough Ronaldo Araujo scored an injurytime goal to give FC Barcelona three points at home to Girona on Saturday with a 21 win the result could easily have gone the other way Girona went in 11 at halftime but with better finishing could have easily been 31 or 41 ahead after missing several chancesThe Barcelona defense looked vulnerable on the break as it did in the 41 loss to Sevilla a fortnight ago and next week Real Madrid have Kylian Mbappe Vinicius Junior Federico Valverde and Rodrygo to run at itA lot has been talked about Barcelonas injuries in attack but its defense looks to be the weak point3 Carrion has a difficult job ahead of himOviedos decision to sack Veljko Paunovic the man who guided the club to promotion to La Liga last season after just eight weeks was one of the big surprises during the international break and the decision to name Luis Carrion as his replacement was anotherCarrion took Oviedo close to promotion two years ago but then left the club to join Las Palmas where he was sacked after nine winless games and some fans are unhappy at his returnCarrions first game back in charge was at home to Espanyol the sort of game Oviedo needs to win to have a chance of staying up but it ended in a 20 defeat implying he isnt going to have things any easier than his predecessor4 Players show solidarity against La Ligas Miami plansAthletic Bilbao coach Ernesto Valverde said on Saturday that the players are the most important asset in La Liga and so when a group that is not known for protesting does protest then they should be listened toPlayers in every game in La Liga this weekend stood still for the first 15 seconds of every game in a symbolic protest against the La Liga plan to take the December 20th game between Villarreal and Barcelona to MiamiThe players union said it hadnt asked Barcelona and Villarreal players to follow the protest to not cause them trouble but in the end they did We were not part of the protest but we felt that we needed to follow along out of respect for our fellow professionals said Barcelona midfielder Pedri with words La Liga should take very seriously IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-2025-26-four-things-we-learned-in-spains-matchday-9-644119.html Tue, 21 Oct 2025 00:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/india-u20-women-to-play-two-friendlies-in-kazakhstan-644237.html New Delhi Oct 21 The Indian U20 womens football team is set to travel to Shymkent Kazakhstan for two international friendly matches against the Kazakhstan U19 womens side on October 25 and 28 These matches will serve as crucial preparation for the upcoming AFC U20 Womens Asian Cup scheduled to take place in April 2026 where India will be competing after a historic qualification earlier this yearThe Young Tigresses under head coach Joakim Alexandersson have been undergoing an intensive training camp at the PadukoneDravid Centre for Sports Excellence in BengaluruThe squad has been working on tactical awareness physical conditioning and matchreadiness as part of their buildup to the continental tournament The team will depart for Kazakhstan on October 23 with the 23member squad set to be announced before their departureFor India these friendlies mark another important step in their steady progress at the youth level The team qualified for the AFC Womens Asian Cup for the first time in 20 years after a dramatic win over Myanmar in August a result that reflected the growing strength and resilience within the national setup The exposure from these international fixtures will be invaluable for the players many of whom will be experiencing European playing conditions for the first timeBoth matches will take place in Shymkent one of Kazakhstans key football centers known for its modern facilities and competitive environment The games are expected to provide a vital learning experience for the Indian U20 team as they continue their journey toward establishing themselves among Asias rising football powers IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/india-u20-women-to-play-two-friendlies-in-kazakhstan-644237.html Tue, 21 Oct 2025 18:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-leverkusens-rolfes-finds-peace-again-after-turbulent-summer-644104.html Berlin Germanu Oct 20 After weeks of restless nights Bayer Leverkusen CEO Simon Rolfes is finally sleeping easily again Ahead of Tuesday evenings UEFA Champions League encounter against Paris SaintGermain PSG Rolfes spoke about the immense challenge of rebuilding the club this summer a task that robbed him of sleep for weeks The dubious pleasure of getting to know every inch of the ceiling above my bed is how the former German international described the period He said things have now returned to normal but the 2024 German champions wild weeks have left their markLosing coaching hero Xabi Alonso this summer having to sack his successor Erik ten Hag after only two months and then appointing former Denmark coach Kasper Hjulmand was far from easy Rolfes admitted reports XinhuaBut the turbulence seems to be in the past despite the newly structured young team still in the process of gelling With three consecutive league wins Rolfes says the side is back on a path of hopeHe called finding the right coach after a golden era which included a national championship and cup victory the biggest challenge He views the match against PSG as anything but an even duel We play a top side assumedly Europes currently best team Rolfes said The former midfielder called the upcoming task a helpful challenge adding I am sure we can benefit from a game like thatWhile expectations remain low against the 2025 Champions League winner the Leverkusen official is focused on small steps of development for his sideAfter signing 15 new players coach Hjulmand said his squad is on a promising path to becoming a cohesive unit The 53yearold Dane even spoke about wanting to compete for the national title as soon as possibleRolfes called the duel against Paris a learning lesson and a stress test for the teams resilience You can prove how much frustration tolerance you can take Rolfes said adding We are back in a fighting mood and are aware we have to deliver hard work to achieve successEquipped with many youngsters the official said the club has laid the foundation for promising years and that the mood has changed to optimistic after the latest turmoilDespite significant transfer revenues including midfielder Florian Wirtzs move to Liverpool Rolfes noted You cant just buy a new team you cautiously have to create oneAt the same time rebuilding the squad has opened doors for players like Alejandro Grimaldo While the Spaniard previously operated in the shadow of Wirtz and Granit Xhaka the 30yearold fullback is now turning into Leverkusens inspiring sourceWhile PSG remains the favourite Grimaldos record of four goals and one assist in seven games is surely helping Simon Rolfes sleep significantly better IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-leverkusens-rolfes-finds-peace-again-after-turbulent-summer-644104.html Mon, 20 Oct 2025 20:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/injured-rodri-to-miss-villarreal-villa-games-confirms-guardiola-644039.html Manchester Oct 20 Manchester City will be without key midfielder Rodri for their upcoming matches against Villarreal and Aston Villa this week manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed The Spanish international is still recovering from a hamstring injury sustained earlier this month Rodri limped off in the first half of Citys 10 win over Brentford on October 5 and subsequently withdrew from Spains squad for their World Cup qualifiers The 29yearold also missed Citys 20 victory against Everton over the weekend and will continue his rehabilitation as the club takes a cautious approach to his returnI dont think so for Villarreal or Aston Villa Guardiola told British media when asked about Rodris availability Its not long but its muscular and you have to be careful Weve tried so many times weve tried to not take a risk but we have not been able to manage that So we will seeRodris absence is a blow for City especially ahead of Wednesdays Champions League clash against Villarreal a club where he began his senior career before moving to Atletico Madrid and eventually joining City He has been a vital part of Guardiolas midfield offering balance control and defensive stabilityCity currently second in the Premier League table with 16 points from eight matches trail leaders Arsenal by three points After facing Villarreal they will host Aston Villa on Sunday in what promises to be another key fixture in the title raceRodri already missed a significant chunk of last season due to a knee injury and City are keen not to rush him back prematurely With a packed fixture list ahead Guardiola is expected to rotate his squad and rely on depth in midfield as they aim to compete on multiple fronts IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/injured-rodri-to-miss-villarreal-villa-games-confirms-guardiola-644039.html Mon, 20 Oct 2025 17:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/dembele-returns-to-psg-squad-for-champions-league-clash-against-leverkusen-644079.html Paris Oct 20 Ousmane Dembele is poised to make his return for Paris SaintGermain after being named in the defending champions squad for their UEFA Champions League clash against Bayer Leverkusen on Tuesday The Ballon dOr winner has been sidelined since September 5 due to a hamstring injury but has been included in PSGs 21man travelling squad announced on Monday Also making a return is centreback Marquinhos who is back in contention after nearly four weeks out with a thigh injuryFrance forward Dembele concluded a remarkable season by winning the mens Ballon dOr last month footballs most prestigious individual award after spearheading Paris SaintGermain to their firstever Champions League victoryI really dont have the words It was an incredible season with PSG Dembele had said while hailing coach Luis Enrique as like a fatherIt is an individual trophy but it was really the collective that won it he added The Ballon dOr has not really been an objective for me in my career but I worked hard for the team to win the Champions LeagueThe 28yearold narrowly beat Barcelonas teenage talent Lamine Yamal to win the award at a glamorous ceremony in Paris succeeding Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri who was the previous years recipient Dembeles triumph follows a prolific season in which he scored 35 goals in all competitions guiding PSG to a historic treble of the Champions League French league and domestic cupHowever the forward is yet to play in the Champions League this season PSG are third in the 36team league after winning their first two games IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/dembele-returns-to-psg-squad-for-champions-league-clash-against-leverkusen-644079.html Mon, 20 Oct 2025 18:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-barcelona-coach-flick-looks-for-solutions-to-injury-crisis-ahead-of-girona-clash-643715.html Madrid Spain Oct 17 FC Barcelona coach Hansi Flick preferred not to talk about injury problems as his side prepares to face Girona in the La Liga on Saturday Barcelona dropped to second in the La Liga table before the international break after a 41 defeat to Sevilla while the past days have seen Flick lose the likes of Robert Lewandowski Ferran Torres and Dani Olmo due to injury while Pedri had a heavy workload with Spains national teamI cant change things and we have to find solutions Flick said in his pregame press conference on Friday adding that while Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal are available they cant play 90 minutesHe discussed midfielder Frenkie de Jong who has just signed a new contract and Pedri Frenkie has had days off Pedri less so We have to take care of Pedri he said noting that the pair represented their countries because theyre among the best in the worldThe coach reacted angrily to a rumour that he played Yamal in the recent Champions League defeat to Paris SaintGermain due to a request from the club when the youngster wasnt fully fitThis is garbage and Id like to know where the story comes from They would never ask us to do this Its not true and if anyone says it theyre lying insisted Flick who also said that both he and the players are unhappy with plans to play the La Liga game against Villarreal in Miami the weekend before ChristmasIts La Liga that has to decide and we have to accept it he concludedIn other matches on Saturday Sevilla will meet Mallorca Villarreal will take on Real Betis while Atletico Madrid will face Osasuna in another matchOn Sunday Eiche will play Athletic Bilbao Celta Vigo meet Real Sociedad Levante face Rayo Vallecano while Getafe play Real Madrid IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-barcelona-coach-flick-looks-for-solutions-to-injury-crisis-ahead-of-girona-clash-643715.html Sat, 18 Oct 2025 01:04:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/captain-guehi-will-leave-crystal-palace-next-year-confirms-manager-glasner-643818.html London Oct 18 Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi has informed the club that he will not sign a new contract and intends to leave manager Oliver Glasner has confirmed The 25yearold England defenders current deal expires at the end of the season and while Palace are keen to keep him Guehi has decided to move on They offered Marc a new contract but he said No I want to make something different and thats normal Glasner saidPalace now face a decision cash in on Guehi during the January transfer window or risk losing him for free next summer Glasner acknowledged the delicate situation and said discussions are ongoingIts how we can deal with this situation What Is the best way to get this next step done And thats all about how we are talking together he addedGuehi has been a standout performer since joining Palace from Chelsea in 2021 He has made 167 appearances for the club and is widely regarded as one of the Premier Leagues most reliable centrebacksThis summer Guehi was close to securing a move to Liverpool He reportedly passed a medical ahead of a 35 million pound transfer but Palace pulled the plug on deadline day after their move for Brighton defender Igor Julio collapsedDespite the uncertainty surrounding his future Guehi has remained everpresent for Palace this season featuring in all 12 matches across competitions and helping the team climb to sixth in the Premier League tableInterest in the England international is strong with reports suggesting that Barcelona Real Madrid and Bayern Munich could rival Liverpool for his signature in JanuaryGuehi earned his 26th England cap in a 30 friendly win over Wales this month and said there is definitely an opportunity to make the 2026 World Cup squad even if he remains at Palace for the rest of the campaign IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/captain-guehi-will-leave-crystal-palace-next-year-confirms-manager-glasner-643818.html Sat, 18 Oct 2025 19:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/he-has-unlocked-that-next-level-himself-kompany-on-kanes-scoring-spree-643623.html Munich Germany Oct 17 Bayern Munich head coach Vincent Kompany has downplayed his role in Harry Kanes prolific scoring form this season attributing the strikers success entirely to his own dedication and drive The England captain also netted twice in the Three Lions 50 victory over Latvia on Tuesday securing their qualification for the 2026 World CupWhen asked about Kanes recent remarks crediting him for improvement Kompany was quick to deflect the praise insisting the strikers brilliance stems from his own work ethic and relentless hunger for goalsHe has unlocked that next level himself Kompany told a press conference ahead of Saturdays Bundesliga Klassiker against visitors Borussia DortmundHe has always done it in his career His development is a mentality thing He worked every year Maybe it helped that he had not won the titles until then because he kept that hunger that you expect from young playersWidely regarded as one of the finest strikers of his generation the 32yearold had collected a host of individual accolades but remained without a team trophy during his time at Tottenham Hotspur and early stint at Bayern until he finally ended the socalled Kane title curse by clinching the Bundesliga crown last seasonYou cannot develop such a player further Kompany said He has to want itBelgian manager Vincent Kompany will be counting on Kane to maintain his sublime form when Bayern face Dortmund who trail the champions by just four points in second place Both sides remain unbeaten across domestic and European competitions with Dortmund boasting an impressive defensive record having conceded only once in their last five league outingsIts first against second both teams unbeaten Kompany said It is clear why this match is being made so big We are both undefeated so it is two fists going against each other IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/he-has-unlocked-that-next-level-himself-kompany-on-kanes-scoring-spree-643623.html Fri, 17 Oct 2025 17:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/chelsea-coach-handed-one-game-ban-for-improper-conduct-in-liverpool-win-643341.html London Oct 16 Chelsea coach Enzo Maresca has received a onematch ban and an 8000pound 10700 USD fine after being sent off during his sides Premier League win over Liverpool earlier this month The Italian manager was shown a second yellow card by referee Anthony Taylor for leaving his technical area to celebrate with his players following Estevao Willians 95thminute winner against the reigning championsIt was alleged that the manager acted in an improper manner andor used abusive andor insulting words andor behavior during the fixture which led to his dismissal around the 96th minute the Football Association said in a statementMaresca admitted the charge and accepted the standard punishment The 45yearold will be absent from the touchline when Chelsea visits Nottingham Forest on Saturday Assistant coach Willy Caballero is expected to take charge from the sidelinesThis marks Marescas second touchline suspension since becoming a Premier League manager in June 2024 His first came in April 2025 when he served a ban after receiving a third yellow card of the season while celebrating Pedro Netos 93rdminute winner at FulhamMaresca will not be in the Chelsea dugout when the Blues travel to the City Ground to face Ange Postecoglous Nottingham Forest on Saturday with assistant coach Willy Caballero expected to deputise for the former Leicester City bossMeanwhile the dates and kickoff times for our Premier League away games against Leeds United and Newcastle United in December have been confirmedThe Blues begin December with a trip to Elland Road to renew our longstanding rivalry with Leeds United who returned to the top flight after securing promotion from the Championship last seasonOriginally scheduled to get underway at 8pm on December 3 the game will now kick off at the slightly later time of 815pmLater in the month Maresca will take his side to St James Park to face Newcastle The contest against the Magpies remains on Saturday 20 December but the kickoff time has been brought forward IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/chelsea-coach-handed-one-game-ban-for-improper-conduct-in-liverpool-win-643341.html Thu, 16 Oct 2025 09:32:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/real-kashmir-fc-withdraw-from-super-cup-dempo-fc-named-replacement-643484.html New Delhi Oct 16 Real Kashmir FC have pulled out of the upcoming AIFF Super Cup 202526 owing to visa delays for their foreign players the club announced on Thursday The Srinagarbased sides withdrawal has led to Dempo SC being named as their replacement in the tournament which kicks off in Goa on October 25Real Kashmir popularly known as the Snow Leopards were drawn in Group A dubbed the Group of Death alongside Mohun Bagan Super Giant East Bengal FC and Chennaiyin FC The team had been slated to face East Bengal in the tournament opener on October 25 followed by fixtures against Mohun Bagan SG on October 28 and Chennaiyin FC on October 31However logistical challenges in securing travel documents for their overseas players forced the ILeague outfit to withdraw from the competition just days before its startConfirming their decision All India Football Federation posted on X Real Kashmir FC have withdrawn from AIFF Super Cup 202526 as VISAS for their foreign players could not be secured They will be replaced by Dempo SCThe decision comes as a major blow for Real Kashmir who were keen to test themselves against the countrys topflight clubs after a promising ILeague campaign The teams foreign contingent instrumental in their recent performances were key to their Super Cup ambitions making their absence a decisive factor in opting outEarlier the AIFFs executive committee confirmed that the Super Cup will be held from October 25 whilst approving the federations Request for Quotation RFQ for selecting an agency to manage the process of awarding the tender for the Indian Super LeagueAs per the Supreme Court order on September 2 AIFF has to take necessary measures to ensure the Indian football calendar begins on time which would need the football governing body to find a new commercial partner after failing to reach a new Masters Right Agreement with the AIFF IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/real-kashmir-fc-withdraw-from-super-cup-dempo-fc-named-replacement-643484.html Thu, 16 Oct 2025 18:34:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/saudi-arabia-qatar-secure-2026-fifa-world-cup-spots-643105.html Jeddah Oct 15 Saudi Arabia and Qatar became the latest two Asian teams to have secured 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification sending United Arab Emirates and Iraq into the fifth round of Asian qualifying Six teams were divided into two groups in the fourth round of the Asian qualifiers with group winners directly qualifying for the World CupSaudi Arabia punched their ticket for the 2026 FIFA World Cup on Tuesday as a 00 draw with Iraq ensured Herve Renards side finished on top of Group B in the AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26 PlayoffsSaudi Arabia spurned a series of chances but still did enough to reach a third consecutive World Cup Herve Renards side monopolised possession in Jeddah but their finishing was wasteful with Salem Aldawsari off target with four attempts reports FIFAIraq didnt manage a shot on target until secondhalf injury time and when they did Nawaf Alaqidi was equal to two effortsThe Green Falcons who famously upset Argentina at Qatar 2022 will now look to equal and eclipse their best campaign a run to the last 16 at USA 1994Qatar secured a place at the FIFA World Cup 2026 as second half headers from Boualem Khouki and Pedro Miguel sealed a 21 win over the United Arab Emirates in Doha to claim the slot at next years Finals from Group A of the AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26 PlayoffsAkram Afif set up headers for Boualem Khoukhi and Pedro Miguel to qualify Qatar The UAE had their chances in the first half in Al Rayyan Caio nodded narrowly wide from an Ali Saleh centre while Mahmoud Ibrahim made an outstanding fingertip save from Nicolas GimenezAfif with his balletic feet was a thorn in their side however and from one of his inviting crosses Mohammad Al Mannai headed inches wide Khoukhi nevertheless made no mistake from another Afif delivery thumping a header into the bottom corner before Pedro Miguel did the same from a tight angleQatar substitute Tarek Salman was sent off late on and United Arab Emirates capitalised to pull one back through Sultan Adil but it was insufficient to deny Julen Lopeteguis side Qatar who fell at the group stage in 2022 will now head to their second World Cup in succession IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/saudi-arabia-qatar-secure-2026-fifa-world-cup-spots-643105.html Wed, 15 Oct 2025 11:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/fifa-wc-qualifiers-ronaldo-sets-another-record-but-hungary-deny-portugal-early-qualification-643108.html Lisbon Oct 15 Cristiano Ronaldo set another record but Portugal conceded a lastgasp equaliser against Hungary to keep their dreams of direct qualification for the FIFA World Cup on hold Ronaldo became the outright leading marksman in World Cup qualifying history His two goals the first his 40th in qualifying to set the landmark put Portugal on the verge of qualification but Dominik Szoboszlai struck late to deny Portugal qualification for a seventh successive global finals after a 22 drawAttila Szalai silenced Lisbon by heading home the opener but the 40yearold tapped in crosses from fullbacks Nelson Semedo and Nuno Mendes to swing Roberto Martinezs charges ahead The woodwork denied Bruno Fernandes and Ruben Dias enhancing the lead and Szalai equalising after the restartHungary kept themselves five points behind Portugal and in with a chance of the sections automatic ticket when Daniel Lukacs did majestically to set up Dominik SzoboszlaiPortugals next chance to confirm their place in the World Cup finals tournament next year will be against Republic of Ireland in Dublin next monthRepublic of Ireland claimed their first win in World Cup qualifying after edging out 10man Armenia at the Aviva Stadium in DublinVisiting captain Tigran Barseghyan was given his marching orders in the 52nd minute of this contest before Evan Ferguson combined with Will Smallbone to score the only goal of a cagey encounterMeanwhile Cote dIvoire have qualified for the FIFA World Cup 26 The Elephants secured their place at the tournament in Canada Mexico and the USA on Tuesday with a 30 victory over Kenya in their final Group F fixture ensuring they topped the section ahead of GabonThey will compete in the World Cup for the first time since Brazil 2014 where they were eliminated in the group stage as they have been in each of their appearances to date IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/fifa-wc-qualifiers-ronaldo-sets-another-record-but-hungary-deny-portugal-early-qualification-643108.html Wed, 15 Oct 2025 11:18:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/england-dominate-latvia-to-secure-fifa-world-cup-2026-qualification-643114.html Riga Oct 15 Harry Kane netted a brace as England sealed its place at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a commanding 50 win over Latvia in the qualifiers Coach Thomas Tuchel made two changes from the side that defeated Wales with Myles LewisSkelly coming in for Marc Guehi and captain Kane returning from injury to lead the attackThe Three Lions thought they had taken an early lead when Kane found the net inside two minutes but the flag was raised for offside Moments later the Bayern Munich striker missed a golden opportunity from close range reports XinhuaEngland eventually broke through in the 26th minute when Anthony Gordon cut inside from the left and curled a fine effort into the far cornerKane soon made amends for his earlier misses striking twice before halftime first with a composed finish from the edge of the box in the 44th minute and then a penalty deep into stoppage time following a VARconfirmed handballKanes double saw him surpass Nat Lofthouses record for multigoal games for England having now scored more than once in a match on 13 occasionsLatvias defensive resilience crumbled in the 58th minute when Maksims Tonisevs conceded an own goal before England substitute Eberechi Eze added the finishing touch late on drilling home a low shot to complete the routWith the win England maintains its perfect record in six qualifiers sitting top of Group K with 18 points seven ahead of secondplaced Albania confirming its ticket to next years World Cup with two matches remainingAlso in Group K Serbia cruised past Andorra 31 to sit third in the group with 10 pointsIn Group F Portugal missed the chance to qualify early after Dominik Szoboszlais stoppagetime strike earned Hungary a 22 draw while Ireland edged 10man Armenia 10 Portugal leads the group with 10 points followed by Hungary on fiveIn Group I Mateo Retegui scored twice as Italy sailed past Israel 30 and Estonia and Moldova played out a 11 drawMeanwhile Spain dominated Bulgaria 40 in Group E with Mikel Merinos two headers sealing a comfortable victory for the reigning European champions while Türkiye outplayed Georgia 41 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/england-dominate-latvia-to-secure-fifa-world-cup-2026-qualification-643114.html Wed, 15 Oct 2025 11:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/india-u23-men-held-to-a-draw-by-indonesia-in-second-friendly-642993.html Jakarta Oct 13 The India U23 mens national team was held to a 11 draw by Indonesia in their second friendly at the Gelora Bung Karno Madya Stadium in Jakarta on Monday After a goalless first half Korou Singh Thingujam 47 put the Blue Colts in the lead before Dony Tri Pamungkas 71 equalised for the hostsIndia had earlier defeated the hosts 21 in the first match following which head coach Naushad Moosa made six changes to his starting lineupIntent to avenge their defeat in the previous game Indonesia pressed forward from the get go but a spell of adept defending from the Blue Colts saw the match remain goalless for most parts of the first halfMuhammad Rayhan Hannans early shot was palmed away by India goalkeeper Dipesh Chauhan in the 10th minuteKakang Rudianto from a setpiece managed to leap higher than the rest and nodded a freeheader goalwards However a flying Chauhan managed to put a hand out and tip it over the barIndia waited for their opportune moments to launch the counterattacks and managed a good opportunity with Ricky Meetei flashing a venomous longrange shot perilously close to the Indonesia goalMinutes before the halftime whistle Vibin Mohanan had a crack from the edge of the box but it was saved by the Indonesia goalkeeperIndia started off much brighter after the change of ends and took the lead within two minutes of the restart when substitute Harsh Palandes low cross from the left found Korou unmarked inside the Indonesia box and the latter tapped it in to put his side in the leadA minute later Muhammed Suhail who also came on as a substitute weaved his way into the Indonesia box and had a crack but it was punched awayIndonesia had a sniff at getting an equaliser when Sumit Sharma committed a foul outside the India box Dony Tri Pamungkas stepped up and sent the freekick into the back of the net to draw the hosts levelMoosa made another slew of changes towards the end which finally saw Priyansh Dubey come on to replace Chauhan in goal The substitute goalkeeper also pulled off a stunning save in the closing minutes off a Rifqi Ray Farandi longrange effort IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/india-u23-men-held-to-a-draw-by-indonesia-in-second-friendly-642993.html Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/de-la-fuente-likely-to-rotate-spains-squad-as-torres-drops-out-of-bulgaria-game-642884.html Madrid Spain Oct 13 Spain can all but ensure their place at next summers FIFA World Cup with a win against Bulgaria on Tuesday although coach Luis de la Fuente has lost another player to injury The Spanish Football Federation RFEF reported that forward Ferran Torres has left the squad with problems that were evaluated by the RFEF medical services with tests showing a muscle strain but without any anatomical injuryFerran Torres has been dropped against Bulgaria the fourth qualifying match for the 2026 World Cup in Valladolid The FC Barcelona striker after completing the match against Georgia in Elche reported muscle discomfort that was evaluated by the medical services of the RFEF including the performance of complementary tests diagnosing a muscle overload without associated anatomical injury it said in a statementFerran is the latest player to drop out of the squad after Real Madrid defender Dean Huijsen left with muscle fatigue and Dani Olmo with a calf injury while Lamine Yamal and Rodri were also forced out with problems shortly after De la Fuente named his squad reports XinhuaDespite those problems Spain cruised past Georgia on Saturday with players like Yeremy Pino Pablo Barrios and Alex Baena showing the wealth of talent the coach has at his disposalSaturdays win leaves Spain with three wins from three World Cup qualifying games and a threepoint lead over Turkiye whom they beat 60 away in SeptemberBulgaria sit at the bottom with three defeats and 12 goals conceded including a 30 home defeat to Spain and were thrashed 61 at home by Turkey on Saturday By contrast Spain have three wins from three games and has scored 11 goals without conceding anyOne of De la Fuentes main issues going into the game is pressure from clubs especially Barcelona which has seen Yamal Ferran and Olmo pick up injuries on international duty and the coach will probably carry out some squad rotation with players such as Baena and defender Aymeric Laporte coming into the starting 11 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/de-la-fuente-likely-to-rotate-spains-squad-as-torres-drops-out-of-bulgaria-game-642884.html Mon, 13 Oct 2025 16:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/haaland-makes-history-as-norway-rout-israel-642646.html New Delhi Oct 12 Erling Haaland reached 50 international goals as Norway strode towards a place at the FIFA World Cup 2026 after beating Israel 50 in the qualifiers The 25yearold became only the sixth man ever to reach 50 goals in fewer than 50 capsThe game got off to a dramatic start when Daniel Peretz saved Erling Haalands penalty and when a retake was ordered repeated the feat The Israeli net was rippled however when an Alexander Sorloth cross looped over the goalkeeper via the back of Anan Khalailis neckHaaland doubled the lead after crisp work from Sorloth before an Idan Nachmias owngoal made it 30 Haaland added another and made history by heading home Antonio Nusas excellent cross before nodding home at the back post to pocket himself another match ballMeanwhile an outstanding Caoimhin Kelleher penalty save stopped Cristiano Ronaldo from becoming the outright leading marksman in qualifying for the global finalsRuben Neves header spared Ronaldos blushes and made an exceptional Kelleher performance fruitless Ronaldo struck the post from outside the box in the first half in Lisbon before the Brentford goalkeeper pulled off fine saves from Goncalo Inacio Bruno Fernandes and VitinhaKellehers best action came when Ronaldo struck a penalty down the middle and despite diving east he magnificently managed to keep it out with his foot Neves nevertheless struck to keep Portugal perfect and leave Republic of Ireland on only one pointElsewhere Italy Spain and Turkey cruised to successes Albania won in Serbia and Andorra stunned LatviaItaly retained hope of catching Norway with a convincing 31 win over Estonia in Tallinn Moise Kean conned his marker with stepovers and scored a superb opener for Gennaro Gattusos side before Mateo Reteguis penalty was saved by Karl HeinRetegui nevertheless made amends by firing home after lovely work by Riccardo Orsolini and Francesco Esposito got Italys third Rauno Sappinen capitalised on a Gianluigi Donnarumma mistake to get Estonia a consolationSpain stayed perfect by cruising to 20 victory against Georgia in Elche Luis de la Fuentes charges made the breakthrough when Yeremy Pino cushioned home Robin Le Normands cutbackIt should have been two moments later but Giorgi Mamardashvili did superbly to repel a Ferran Torres spotkick Pedro Porro and Mikel Oyarzabal hit both posts within seconds of one another after the restart before the latters rocket sealed the successTurkiye bounced back from their 60 drubbing by Spain last month to dispatch Bulgaria 61 in style IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/haaland-makes-history-as-norway-rout-israel-642646.html Sun, 12 Oct 2025 17:14:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/uae-beat-oman-to-move-closer-to-first-fifa-wc-2026-qualification-since-1990-642651.html Doha Oct 12 United Arab Emirates beat Oman 21 in Group A of the AFC Asian Qualifiers to ensure a draw against Qatar will qualify them for the FIFA World Cup for the first time since 1990 United Arab Emirates snatched victory from the jaws of defeat to make themselves favourites for Group As automatic ticket to the FIFA World Cup 26Marcus Meloni and Caio struck late to put United Arab Emirates in the driving seat to grab Group As automatic ticket to the FIFA World Cup 2026The UAE now sits top of Group A heading into the final round of matches on Tuesday where a draw in will send them to a first global finals in 36 years while Qatar require victory to get thereOman must now hope UAE win in order to stay alive and go into the fifth round of Asian qualifyingOman went ahead in fortuitous circumstances in Al Rayyan Autonne Kouame inadvertently turning Amjad Al Harthis fierce cross into his own net UAE dominated play thereafter but struggled to create any meaningful opportunities until a wild last 20 minutesCosmin Olaroius charges were awarded a penalty for a foul on substitute Ali Saleh but then saw it overturned after a VAR review It only temporarily preserved Omans advantage with Meloni heading home a Saleh centreOman then had two huge chances Khalid Eisa denying Abdulrahman Al Mushaifri from yards out before Nasser Al Rawahi fired narrowly wide and they were punished when Caios cross deceived everyone and went in Carlos Queirozs side had one final shot but Khalid Eisa produced a superb save to deny Ali Al BusaidiHead coach Cosmin Olaroiu who took charge of UAE after leading Sharjah FC to the AFC Champions League Two 202425 title in May said UAEs performance before the break forced his hand going into the second halfI was forced to make a complete technical change at the beginning of the second half to change the players mentality and achieve victory said Olaroiu who sent on Caio Canedo Yahia Nader and Harib Abdalla to boost his sides potency IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/uae-beat-oman-to-move-closer-to-first-fifa-wc-2026-qualification-since-1990-642651.html Sun, 12 Oct 2025 17:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/messi-alba-fire-inter-miami-to-4-0-win-over-atlanta-united-in-mls-642659.html Fort Lauderdale Oct 12 Inter Miami CF secured a resounding 40 win over Atlanta United FC in the teams last 2025 regular season home and final regular season fixture at Chase Stadium A brace from Icon of the match Lionel Messi and goals from left back Jordi Alba and forward Luis Suarez led the team to victory At the other end of the pitch Rocco Ríos Novo delivered a solid performance in goal with three saves as he recorded a clean sheetAdditionally Messis performance saw him make MLS history as he became the first player in MLS history to produce nine multigoal games in a single regular seasonMessi came close to finding the opener in the 21st minute but his left footed finish from the center of the box was saved by Atlantas goalkeeperHe then broke the deadlock in the 39th minute to hand Inter Miami the lead Rodriguez recovered possession in the opponents third before finding Messi on the right end of the field who then entered the box before burying the ball in the upper left corner with a curlerThe goal was Messis 25th this regular season who leads the race for the Golden Boot presented by Audi while the assist was the third for Rodriguez this regular seasonSuarez nearly doubled Inter Miamis lead in the third minute of stoppage time but the volley from the Uruguayan striker from inside the box following a precise ball from Messi bounced off the crossbarRios Novo delivered an important save on the other end in the fourth minute of added time for Inter Miami to take its lead into the break diving to deny a grounded finish from Atlantas Leo AfonsoAlba then extended Inter Miamis lead in the 52nd minute with a chip over the keeper from the left end of the box following an inch perfect long delivery from Messi The goal took Albas tally to six this regular season while the assist was Messis 18th this league campaignSuarez increased Inter Miamis lead to 30 in the 61st finding the back of the net with a firsttime right footed hit from just outside the box to the top right corner to record his 10th goal this regular seasonMessi rounded out the result with the final goal of the evening in the 87th minute The goal was Messis 26th this regular season as he extended his lead in the race for the Golden Boot while the assist was Albas 14th in the league this yearThe 40 scoreline held through the final whistle for Inter Miami to claim all three points tonight Notably the win sees the Club secure homefield advantage in Round One of the Audi 2025 MLS Cup PlayoffsNext Inter Miami will take on Nashville SC on the road in its final 2025 regular season encounter on Saturday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/messi-alba-fire-inter-miami-to-4-0-win-over-atlanta-united-in-mls-642659.html Sun, 12 Oct 2025 17:26:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-suhail-bhat-fires-india-u23-to-victory-against-hosts-indonesia-in-first-friendly-642439.html New Delhi Oct 10 India U23 mens team defeated Indonesia 21 in the first of two U23 international friendlies at the Gelora Bung Karno Madya Stadium in Jakarta Indonesia on Friday taking another strong step in its preparations for next years Asian Games in Japan All goals came in the first half as Naushad Moosas side raced to an early twogoal lead thanks to a superb brace from Suhail Ahmad Bhat 5 and 26 before Dony Tri Pamungkas pulled one back four minutes before halftime After another intensely fought second half that yielded no goals the Blue Colts claimed a welldeserved win that underlined both their attacking prowess and defensive solidityIndia made a lightningquick start taking the lead in only the fifth minute when Suhail Ahmad Bhat intercepted a loose pass by Frengky Missa burst into the box and thrashed a rightfooted shot into the top cornerRocked by the opening goal Indonesia were desperate for the equaliser but that left gaps behind which India tried their best to exploit In the 10th minute Muhammed Suhails cutback caused all sorts of problems in the hosts defence The ball ultimately fell for Vibin Mohanan who struck hard but was denied by a goalline clearanceThere was no stopping Md Suhails onslaught from the left as he cut inside in the 22nd minute saw his low drive blocked by the defence gathered the second ball and tried to hit it into the bottom corner but goalkeeper Cahya Supriadi made a good saveThe second goal was always coming and it came sooner rather than later once again from Suhail Bhat in the 26th minute Vibin drilled a low cross from the left that landed at the feet of Ayush Chhetri The captain slipped the ball for Suhail Bhat who outmuscled his marker and launched another thunderbolt of a strike that bulged the top corner of the netThere couldve been three had the woodwork not come to Indonesias rescue in the 29th minute After Md Suhail had brilliantly nutmegged the fullback he set up Ayush whose shot was wellblocked From the resulting corner Korou Singh Thingujam struck the bottom of the post with a rightfooted strikeHowever Indonesia got a ray of hope when they halved the deficit in the 41st minute Leftback Dony Tri Pamungkas found some space on the edge of the box and unleashed a curler that found the top corner Goalkeeper Mohanraj K making his debut for India at any age group had no answer to itHoping to complete their comeback Indonesia head coach Indra Sjafri rolled in half a dozen changes at halftime but Indias defence only grew sharper and more effective The second half was more cagey and chances came few and far between for both teamsThe Blue Colts had a big chance to extend their lead in the 57th minute Rightback Ricky Meetei Haobam swung in a peach of a cross that landed inchperfectly for Suhail Bhat who made a good connection with his head but directed it straight onto Supriadis glovesNaturally Indonesia kept more of the ball in the latter stages India were happy to let them chase while remaining solid at the back The hosts ramped up the pressure in the final 10 minutes but Moosas men were stern in defence thwarting every attack Substitute goalkeeper Dipesh Chauhan who made his India U23 debut did not have too much to worry about as India kept the 21 scoreline intact until the final whistleSuhail Ahmad Bhat picked up the player of the match award In the postmatch interview he said We all came here intending to win We had a good run in the AFC U23 Asian Cup Qualifiers but unfortunately we couldnt qualify Still the hunger is there We want to win more this is just the beginning I dedicate my goals to my teammates They worked hard until the 90th minute Of course scoring feels good but its all for the teamIndia head coach Naushad Moosa said It was a difficult game but I really appreciate the boys Everyone was supporting each other throughout There are still a lot of things to learn But yeah I did say before that it wouldnt be easy for Indonesia IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-suhail-bhat-fires-india-u23-to-victory-against-hosts-indonesia-in-first-friendly-642439.html Sat, 11 Oct 2025 00:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/lo-celso-seals-argentinas-comfortable-win-over-venezuela-in-messis-absence-642459.html Miami Oct 11 Even without Lionel Messi on the field Argentina showed their depth and control as they eased past Venezuela 10 in an international friendly at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Friday A slick firsthalf strike from Giovani Lo Celso was enough to hand the reigning world champions a comfortable win in front of a modest crowd of around 15000 in the 65000capacity venueMessi who missed the match as a precaution after recent muscle tightness watched from the stands as his teammates produced a composed display that rarely saw them troubled Argentinas attack led by Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martínez looked sharp and inventive throughout while fullback Nahuel Molina impressed with his relentless energy on the right flankThe decisive moment arrived in the 31st minute and it was a goal straight out of Argentinas training ground Alvarez and Martínez combined beautifully around the box drawing Venezuelan defenders out of position before slipping a pass into Lo Celsos path The midfielder showing great composure struck a crisp leftfooted finish beyond goalkeeper Jose Contreras putting Argentina 10 upAfter taking the lead Lionel Scalonis side dictated the tempo with typical control using quick transitions and short passing to maintain dominance Venezuela struggled to create any clearcut chances managing only a few speculative efforts from distance that failed to trouble Emiliano Martínez in goalWhile Argentina didnt add to their tally in the second half they remained largely untroubled using the friendly as an opportunity to test squad depth and rhythm ahead of a busy international calendar Substitute appearances from young talents like Alejandro Garnacho and Enzo Fernández added further dynamism to the closing stagesThe result extends Argentinas unbeaten run since their Copa América final loss in 2021 and highlights their continued ability to control matches even without their talismanic captain Scalonis side will next face Puerto Rico in Fort Lauderdale on Tuesday in their second and final Florida friendly a match that was originally scheduled for Chicagos Soldier Field but was moved amid recent US government restrictions on large international events involving foreign participants IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/lo-celso-seals-argentinas-comfortable-win-over-venezuela-in-messis-absence-642459.html Sat, 11 Oct 2025 09:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/scotland-denmark-netherlands-shine-fifa-2026-wc-qualifiers-642276.html New Delhi Oct 10 Scotland staged a dramatic comeback to keep pace with Denmark in Group C while there were recordbreaking nights for Austria and the Faroe Islands in the European Qualifiers for the 2026 FIFA World Cup Scotland completed a stunning comeback in Glasgow to record a priceless 31 win over Greece to boost their chances of a first World Cup finals berth since 1998Greece who had won 30 on their last visit to Hampden Park started in similarly dominant form standout chances falling to Vangelis Pavlidis and Giorgos Masouras before Kostas Tsimikas swept in a 62ndminute opener from a loose ballGreek joy was shortlived though Ryan Christie finishing from close range just two minutes later and Lewis Ferguson smashing in a loose ball in the 80th minute Konstantinos Karetsas curler would have had Ivan Jovanovics men level late on but Angus Gunn saved brilliantly before Lyndon Dykes addedtime finish sealed victoryIn another match Rasmus Hojlund scored a brilliant brace as Denmark maintained top spot in Group C with a thumping 60 victory over Belarus in Zalaegerszeg HungaryThe Danes got off to a lightningquick start and opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Victor Froholdt struck the ball home from 15 yards after neat interchange play between Andreas Christensen and Mikkel DamsgaardThey doubled their lead just five minutes later thanks to a closerange volley from Hojlund who has rediscovered his form with NapoliAs the opening half came to a conclusion Hojlund scored his second of the evening when Patrick Dorgu rattled the post and the forward tapped home from close range Then deep into firsthalf injury time Hojlund set up Dorgu who found the net with ease after breaking the offside trapDenmark substitute Anders Dreyer scored twice midway through the second half both neat leftfooted efforts to seal the routIn Group G Cody Gakpo sparkled as the Netherlands strolled on to 13 points from a possible 15 in Ta Qali with 40 won over MaltaVirgil van Dijk gifted Malta a great early chance but after collecting a loose backpass Joseph Mbong fired wide They were punished when Ryan Gravenberch was hauled down and Gakpo converted the resulting penaltyOnly the post denied the Liverpool winger a glorious curler but he got his second by sending Henry Bonello the wrong way from the spot after Wout Weghorst was fouled Ronald Koemans side sealed victory when Gakpo teed up Tijjani Reijnders to slot home before substitute Memphis Depay headed in a fourth in stoppage timeMarko Arnautovic became Austrias alltime record scorer as his team maintained their perfect record in Group H with a huge 100 victory over San MarinoAfter netting four times against San Marino he now has 45 goals for his country one more than Toni PolsterEarlier Algeria booked their ticket to FIFA World Cup 26 with a comprehensive 30 victory over Somalia They now have an unassailable lead at the top of Group G while Uganda strengthened their grip in second place with a hardfought win over Botswana IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/scotland-denmark-netherlands-shine-fifa-2026-wc-qualifiers-642276.html Fri, 10 Oct 2025 10:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/salah-scores-brace-as-egypt-clinch-2026-fifa-world-cup-26-spot-642090.html New Delhi Oct 9 After missing out on Qatar 2022 Egypt are headed to the FIFA World Cup 26 after posting a 30 victory over Djibouti punching their ticket to the global showpiece with a game to spare Salah scored twice as Egypt clinched their spot at the World Cup 26 in style It didnt take long for the Pharaohs to strike against Djibouti in Casablanca as Zizo lofted a cross into the area where an unchallenged Ibrahim Adel headed home It was soon two with Salah latching on to a through ball and firing it into the net FIFA reportsWith the twogoal cushion Egypt could play to their liking and Salah capped the festivities with an exquisitelytaken volley in the closing minutesJordan Ayew was the star as Ghana moved on to the brink of joining them Cabo Verde are also favourites to top their section following a courageous comeback though Cameroon stayed in contention with victoryGhana all but qualified for the global finals with a thumping win in El Jadida Otto Addos men were rewarded for intense pressure when the unmarked Mohammed Salisu headed home a Mohammed Kudus cornerJordan Ayew did brilliantly to evade two opponents and set up Thomas Partey to double the lead Alexander Djiku headed home the third from an Ayew corner before the latter got on the scoresheet with a sublime volleyAyew was again involved as Kamaldeen Sulemana completed the rout at the back postGhana are three points clear of secondplaced Madagascar and boast a significantlysuperior goal difference with one round to playElsewhere Cabo Verde missed the chance to punch their ticket but an admirable fightback has them two points clear at the sections summit after 33 draw with Libya who now need a miracle to reach the next stage of qualifyingHowever the hopes of Angola Comoros GuineaBissau Mali and Sierra Leone were extinguished IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/salah-scores-brace-as-egypt-clinch-2026-fifa-world-cup-26-spot-642090.html Thu, 09 Oct 2025 17:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/germanys-fragile-defense-weighs-on-coach-julian-nagelsmann-641884.html Berlin Oct 8 Ahead of Germanys 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Luxembourg and Northern Ireland national coach Julian Nagelsmann has been forced into unexpected roster changes due to a mounting defensive crisis The Germans have kept a clean sheet in only seven of their last 25 games A disappointing 20 loss to Slovakia ignited a debate about the coachs constant tactical changesThe return of Borussia Dortmund defender Nico Schlotterbeck is a headline development The 25yearold is needed to stabilise a wavering defense but only recently returned from a monthslong absence with a significant knee injury reports XinhuaWe need a skilful left foot that can deliver an opening pass to midfield Nagelsmann said highlighting the difficulty of also missing injured Real Madrid defender Antonio RüdigerPotential replacements like Bayern Munichs Jonathan Tah Eintracht Frankfurts Robin Koch and Newcastle Uniteds Malick Thiaw have struggled with poor form while Dortmunds Waldemar Anton lacks international experienceThe situation contrasts with the glory days of the 2014 World Cup win in Brazil when Germany relied on a deep pool of central defenders Nagelsmann is also searching for suitable fullbacksWith eight months until the 2026 World Cup in North America the team remains a work in progress raising concerns that contrast with the coachs stated aim to win the tournamentDortmund coach and former Croatian international Niko Kovac called Schlotterbeck the countrys best central defender and emphasised the need for careful load management The player was recently benched for a Champions League match to manage his workloadReports described a tense exchange between the two coaches leaving Nagelsmann with a tough decision on whether Schlotterbeck is essential against underdog Luxembourg on Friday in SinsheimThe staffing shortage worsened with the illness of goalkeeper Oliver Baumann Nagelsmann called in Freiburgs Noah Atubolu as coverSeveral TV pundits including Matthias Sammer and Lothar Matthaus advocated for a return of the retired Manuel NeuerWhy leave out the best former international Sammer askedFollowing the Luxembourg match Germany faces Northern Ireland on Monday After the loss to Slovakia two victories seem necessary regardless of Nagelsmanns decision on Schlotterbeck IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/germanys-fragile-defense-weighs-on-coach-julian-nagelsmann-641884.html Wed, 08 Oct 2025 07:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/argentina-boss-says-world-cup-squad-still-open-641899.html Miami Oct 8 Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni said that places in his 2026 World Cup squad are still open as the Albiceleste prepares for friendlies against Venezuela and Puerto Rico He said the matches would be used to test new players ahead of the tournament in the United States Mexico and CanadaNaturally we are going to try to give a chance to new players to see if they can get on board he said ahead of Fridays clash against Venezuela at Hard Rock Stadium That is the idea to use these matches to try different playersThe reigning World Cup champions will have three days to recover from that match before facing Puerto Rico at Soldier Field in ChicagoWhile admitting most of his World Cup squad was already settled Scaloni said there could be late changes as there were before the 2022 tournament in QatarYou never know because even though we have the base we dont know what might happen he said We have the experience of the last World Cup when players dropped out at the last moment Its true that most of the squad is settled but we are open to whatever may comeNew players have come in now and will keep coming if we believe it is appropriateArgentina earned its place in next years edition of footballs showpiece tournament by topping the South American qualifying groupScaloni said all of the teams preWorld Cup matches would be treated seriously by his squad stressing that no match involving Argentina is truly a friendlyWe feel that every time there is an international match whether official or friendly provides a unique opportunity he said What lies ahead is very important and a lot is at stake We are going to give our all IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/argentina-boss-says-world-cup-squad-still-open-641899.html Wed, 08 Oct 2025 09:42:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/vinicius-double-lead-real-madrid-to-win-over-villarreal-641626.html Madrid Oct 5 Real Madrid moved provisionally to the top of La Liga after a 31 win at home to Villarreal Vinicius Jr opened the scoring two minutes after halftime with a deflected shot and doubled the lead in the 69th minute from the penalty spotGeorges Mikautadze drilled Villarreal back into the game in the 73rd minute but the visitors hopes virtually ended when Santiago Mourino was sent off for a second yellow card after a slight contact with ViniciusKylian Mbappe sealed the win with an 81stminute goal before leaving the pitch with a slight physical problemReal Madrid leads by two points over FC Barcelona which visits Sevilla on SundayIn Athletic Bilbaos 21 home win over Mallorca Inaki Williams put Athletic ahead from the penalty spot in the ninth minute and Athletic created enough chances in the opening half an hour to have sealed the win but failed to take any of themMallorca was level in the 77th minute when Samu Costas cross fooled goalkeeper Unai Simon to end in the far corner of the netAlejandro Rego won the game for Athletic with his first goal for the club in the 82nd minute when he sidefooted home a pullback from Jesus AresoGoals from Carlos Alvarez and Etta Eyong either side of halftime fueled Levante to a 20 win away to Oviedo in a clash between two recently promoted teamsGirona claimed its first win of the season with a nailbiting 21 win at home to Valencia despite ending with nine menVladyslav Vanat put Girona ahead in the 18th minute with Diego Lopez equalizing 12 minutes into the second halfArnau Martinez scored the winning goal in the 63rd minute but Girona fans had to endure a nervewracking finish as Ivan Martin and Alejandro Frances were sent off in the closing minutesAlejandro Catena scored a lastminute header to give Osasuna a 21 win at home to Getafe on FridayBorja Mayoral gave Getafe a 23rdminute lead from close range but defender Abel Bretones equalized on the stroke of halftime with a stunning shot into the corner of the goal IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/vinicius-double-lead-real-madrid-to-win-over-villarreal-641626.html Sun, 05 Oct 2025 13:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/messi-becomes-second-player-in-mls-history-to-reach-at-least-40-combined-goals-and-assists-641633.html Fort Lauderdale Oct 5 Lionel Messi has added another milestone to his crowded mantle after recording three assists in the 41 home win over the New England Revolution reaching 41 goal contributions this season Messi became only the second player in MLS history to reach at least 40 combined goals and assists in a regularseason campaign following Carlos Velas record 49 with LAFC in 2019He assisted Tadeo Allendes goal in the 32nd minute which opened the scoring Then before the halftime break he linked up with former FC Barcelona teammate Jordi Alba with a fine piece of dribbling inside the box The classic combination doubled Miamis lead MLS reportsDor Turgeman pulled one back for the visitors in the 59th minute but Miami responded almost immediately Messi just a minute later set up Allendes second goal of the night shortly before Alba added a brace of his own to round out the scoreboardHe gave us the possibility of opening the score and then securing the result head coach Javier Mascherano said postgame of Messis latest standout performance Not only with the pass for Jordi but when they New England made it 21 and in the next play with an assist that only he can give He keeps showing the ability he has and more than anything the ambition and desire to go for moreMessi has two more games to increase his goal contributions and possibly challenge Velas record starting with Saturdays regularseason home fixture against Atlanta UnitedLast years MLS MVP is also competing to become the leagues firstever consecutive winnerOn the collective front Messi and Miami are third in the Eastern Conference with 59 points A topfour position would secure homefield advantage in their 2025 MLS Cup Playoffs Round One Bestof3 Series IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/messi-becomes-second-player-in-mls-history-to-reach-at-least-40-combined-goals-and-assists-641633.html Sun, 05 Oct 2025 13:56:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/football-chance-for-arsenal-as-pressure-builds-on-amorim-postecoglou-641432.html London Oct 3 Could it be allchange at the top of the Premier League following a round of matches that looks certain to leave either Liverpool coach Arne Slot or Chelseas Enzo Maresca facing a difficult fortnight Liverpool visit Chelsea on Saturday with Chelsea sitting eighth in the table and Maresca having to avoid a third consecutive league defeat Liverpool travel after losing to Crystal Palace last weekend and then sliding to defeat against Galatasaray in the UEFA Champions League in a game where goalkeeper Alisson Becker was injured Giorgi Mamardashvili should replace Alisson in goal as Liverpools defense is also likely to be under the spotlightArsenal can go top of the table for at least a few hours with a home win over West Ham United Mikel Artetas side has lost its last two games at home to West Ham but after last weekends win in Newcastle and a comfortable 20 midweek win at home to Olympiacos the players will be optimistic even though new coach Nuno Espirito Santo toughened up West Hams defense last weekend away to EvertonTwo coaches are under increasing pressure this weekend with Manchester Uniteds Ruben Amorim needing a good result and performance when his side entertains Sunderland on SaturdayManchester Uniteds defeat to Brentford last weekend undid the good from the previous weekends win against Chelsea and a disciplined Sunderland could test the patience of the Old Trafford fans and directorsAnge Postecoglou also needs a win when Nottingham Forest visit Newcastle United after a 32 Europa League defeat at home to Midtjylland on Thursday had home fans turn on him after six games without a win since replacing Espirito SantoManchester City travel to Brentford with Pep Guardiolas side still searching for the defensive consistency to turn the team into a title candidate while an improving Aston Villa play at home to BurnleyTottenham Hotspur have a complicated visit to Leeds United which is adapting well to life back among the elite while Wolverhampton Wanderers continues their search for the first league win of the season at home to BrightonA Carabao Cup win over Everton and last weekends draw against Tottenham imply the Wolves are turning things around but coach Vitor Pereira will want to avoid going into another international break winless IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/football-chance-for-arsenal-as-pressure-builds-on-amorim-postecoglou-641432.html Sat, 04 Oct 2025 06:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/messi-new-faces-in-argentina-squad-for-us-friendlies-641450.html Buenos Aires Oct 4 River Plate defender Lautaro Rivero was one of three uncapped players included in Argentinas squad on Friday for friendlies against Venezuela and Puerto Rico Racing goalkeeper Facundo Cambeses and Palmeiras midfielder Anibal Moreno were also called up for the first time by Albiceleste manager Lionel Scaloni for this months friendlies in the United StatesIn addition Scaloni recalled Bournemouth defender Marcos Senesi while Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez returns after missing Septembers World Cup qualifiers due to suspensionAs expected the 28man squad is led by captain Lionel Messi and also includes Liverpool midfielder Alexis Mac Allister Real Madrid midfielder Franco Mastantuono Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez and Inter Milan striker Lautaro MartinezArgentina will meet Venezuela in Miami on October 10 and Puerto Rico in Chicago three days laterArgentina squadGoalkeepers Emiliano Martinez Walter Benitez Geronimo Rulli and Facundo CambesesDefenders Gonzalo Montiel Nahuel Molina Cristian Romero Leonardo Balerdi Nicolas Otamendi Marcos Senesi Lautaro Rivero Nicolas Tagliafico and Marcos AcunaMidfielders Leandro Paredes Anibal Moreno Rodrigo De Paul Enzo Fernandez Nicolas Paz Giovanni Lo Celso Alexis Mac Allister Thiago Almada and Franco MastantuonoForwards Giuliano Simeone Nicolas Gonzalez Lionel Messi Jose Manuel Lopez Julian Alvarez and Lautaro Martinez IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/messi-new-faces-in-argentina-squad-for-us-friendlies-641450.html Sat, 04 Oct 2025 09:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/six-asian-teams-gear-up-for-road-to-fifa-wc-26-playoffs-epic-battles-641252.html Kuala Lumpur Oct 3 Only six Asian sides remain in the running to reach the FIFA World Cup 2026 and the stage is set for a highstakes showdown in the AFC Asian Qualifiers Road to 26 Playoffs Group Stage which kicks off on Wednesday The contenders are divided into two groups Qatar UAE amd Oman are place din group A while Suadi Arabia Iraq and Indonesia are in Group BThey will battle for the two direct berths on offer with only each group winner to progress as they look to join the six teams that have already sealed their places at the global showpieceA final qualifying chance is available to the runnersup of each group who will square off in a twolegged showdown across November 13 and 18This Knockout Stage will determine the AFCs representative at the FIFA PlayOff Tournament where they will have to fend off opponents from other confederations to claim one of two berthsOman is the sole cast member hunting a historic maiden FIFA World Cup appearance with Indonesia Iraq and the United Arab Emirates aiming to qualify for a second time each while Qatar and Saudi Arabia will hope to make it backtoback participationsThe opening matchday gets underway at the Jassim Bin Hamad Stadium between Group A pair Oman FIFA Rank 78 and Qatar 53 on October 8Oman are seeking a breakthrough in their 10th Qualifiers campaign and can draw confidence from a 21 win when both teams last met in December 2024 in the Gulf Cup their first victory in 11 matches dating back to September 2009Reigning AFC Asian Cup champions Qatar will target a winning start at home as they eye a second FIFA World Cup place in their 11th qualifying attempt following their appearance in 2022 as hostsOn October 11 UAE 67 commence their journey by taking on Oman with whom they drew 11 in their last encounter also at the Gulf Cup in December 2024UAE are involved in their 11th Qualifiers and will be eager to end an absence from the FIFA World Cup that goes back to their debut in 1990The King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah will stage Group Bs fixtures starting with a clash between Indonesia 119 and Saudi Arabia 59 on October 8 at 815pm The only side from Round 1 to advance to this stage Indonesias sole previous FIFA World Cup showing was as the Dutch East Indies in 1938 The Southeast Asians also took on Saudi Arabia in the previous stage earning a draw in the first meeting before registering their firstever win in the return fixture The home side will aim to exact revenge as they set their sights on a third consecutive qualification and seventh overallOn October 11 Iraq 58 will take to the pitch for their first match at 1030pm where they face Indonesia Also targeting a second FIFA World Cup showing and first since 1986 Iraq possess a stellar record against their opponents winning each of their last eight encounters including both group meetings in the second round of the current QualifiersThe third and final matchday of the Playoffs is scheduled for October 14 as Qatar face UAE and Saudi Arabia take on IraqKing Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah will stage Group Bs fixtures starting with a clash between Indonesia 119 and Saudi Arabia 59 on October 8The only side from Round 1 to advance to this stage Indonesias sole previous FIFA World Cup showing was as the Dutch East Indies in 1938 The Southeast Asians also took on Saudi Arabia in the previous stage earning a draw in the first meeting before registering their firstever win in the return fixtureThe home side will aim to exact revenge as they set their sights on a third consecutive qualification and seventh overallOn October 11 Iraq 58 will take to the pitch for their first match where they face Indonesia Also targeting a second FIFA World Cup showing and first since 1986 Iraq possess a stellar record against their opponents winning each of their last eight encounters including both group meetings in the second round of the current QualifiersThe third and final matchday of the Playoffs is scheduled for October 14 as Qatar face UAE and Saudi Arabia take on Iraq IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/six-asian-teams-gear-up-for-road-to-fifa-wc-26-playoffs-epic-battles-641252.html Fri, 03 Oct 2025 16:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/martinelli-strikes-early-as-arsenal-extend-perfect-champions-league-start-641079.html London Oct 2 Gabriel Martinelli scored early to set Arsenal on course for a 20 win over Olympiacos maintaining the Premier League sides perfect start in the UEFA Champions League group stage Martinelli reacted quickest in the 12th minute after Viktor Gyokeres shot was saved by Konstantinos Tzolakis and deflected onto the post The Brazilian forward also had a goal and an assist in Arsenals opening win over Athletic ClubArsenal manager Mikel Arteta rotated heavily making six changes from the weekend victory over NewcastleOlympiacos threatened an equaliser as Daniel Podence forced David Raya into a strong save and Francisco Chiquinho had a goal disallowed for offsideMartin Odegaard was denied by Tzolakis before substitute Bukayo Saka sealed the win in stoppage time his low shot slipping through the goalkeepers legsWinning the Champions League is always very complicated keeping another clean sheet we make something like 11 in 14 games which is remarkable from the boys I think we started the game really well I think we looked a real threat really dynamic really playing forwards around a lot of threats Generally to the goal another two or three big chances and we dont put them away in this competition Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta saidGunners will be back at Emirates Stadium on Saturday to take on West Ham United in the Premier League Thats the last game before the October international break they will resume away to Fulham on October 18Elsewhere Anthony Gordons pair of coollytaken penalties helped Newcastle United to their biggestever win in the Champions League proper by beating Union SaintGilloise 40Summer signing Nick Woltemade gave Eddie Howes side a 17thminute lead when he diverted Sandro Tonalis low shot past a wrongfooted Kjell ScherpenGordon struck twice from the spot either side of halftime and substitute Harvey Barnes capped victory with just over ten minutes remaining by finishing off a counterattack IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/martinelli-strikes-early-as-arsenal-extend-perfect-champions-league-start-641079.html Thu, 02 Oct 2025 12:33:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/dortmund-show-strength-in-champions-league-win-over-athletic-bilbao-641082.html Berlin Oct 2 Borussia Dortmund extended its unbeaten streak across all competitions with a convincing 41 victory over Athletic Bilbao in their group stage clash at Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday The host entered the contest full of confidence after four straight league wins and coach Niko Kovac rotated his lineup in five positions including the return of top scorer Serhou GuirassyDespite the changes Dortmund quickly found their rhythm and took control of proceedings Athletic struggling with form and missing star forward Nico Williams through injury offered little in the opening stagesDortmunds early dominance was rewarded in the 28th minute when Karim Adeyemis sharp delivery was converted by Daniel Svensson for his first Champions League goal The German side pushed for more with Niklas Sule testing from distance while goalkeeper Gregor Kobel remained untroubled at the other endAfter halftime the momentum continued Marcel Sabitzers diagonal pass unlocked the Athletic defense and Guirassy set up Carney Chukwuemeka to double the lead with a precise finish in the 50th minute But the visitors briefly threatened a comeback and a defensive lapse allowed Gorka Guruzeta to strike from close range just after the hour mark halving the deficitMoments later Robert Navarro found the net only to be flagged offside and he later went close again Dortmund weathered the storm with Svensson producing a vital clearance off the line to preserve the advantage Relief came in the 82nd minute when Guirassy redirected a Sabitzer shot into the net for 31 Substitute Julian Brandt then sealed the result deep into stoppage time with a low driveAlways nice to play Champions League Overall good performance of the team Of course I am happy with the win We played a good first half with a lot of possession Second half we had a hard time but the hard work paid off said Dortmund defender Daniel Svensson IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/dortmund-show-strength-in-champions-league-win-over-athletic-bilbao-641082.html Thu, 02 Oct 2025 12:36:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-psg-win-thriller-2-1-in-barcelona-641085.html Catalunya Oct 2 Substitute Goncalo Ramos netted a 90thminute winner as Paris came from behind to defeat Barcelona 21 in a thrilling Champions League match Ferran Torres opened the scoring in the 19th minute only for Paris to equalise before halftime when Senny Mayulu superbly assisted by Nuno Mendes coolly slotted home 38In a breathless second half substitute Lee Kangin hit the post before Achraf Hakimi set up Ramos for the winnerBarca started strongly with Lamine Yamal releasing Ferran Torres whose shot was blocked by Hakimi 12 From a Mendes corner Zabarnyi headed just over the bar 14 before the Ukraine international made a goalline clearance to deny Ferran Torres 14 The Spainish striker finally broke the deadlock converting a Marcus Rashford cross from the left 19 10PSG quickly lifted their heads but Wojciech Szczesny made a spectacular save to turn Hakimis free kick around the post 30 However it was only a matter of time and Mendes with a typically marauding run down the left wing set up Senny Mayulu to celebrate his first start in the competition with an equaliser 11 38Paris shifted up a gear and Barcola couldnt make the most of a great chance to to give them the lead heading into the interval 42After the restart PSG really took the game to their rivals with Mbaye 52 Barcola 53 and Hakimi 53 all coming close to giving their side the lead The Rouge et Bleu skipper was outstanding in both attack and defence producing another miraculous block on his line from a pointblank Dani Olmo shot 64Lee Kangin who had come on a few minutes earlier went on a slaloming run beating several Barcelona players only to see his shot bounce off Szczesnys righthand post 84 But PSG had not said its last word Just before added time Goncalo Ramos secured a precious victory for his team by perfectly connecting with Hakimis cross to send the 2700 Parisian fans at Monjuic into raptures 90 12The final whistle confirmed the remarkable result that sees Paris SaintGermain become the first club in history to win three consecutive games away to FC Barcelona Les Rouge et Bleus second victory in this league phase sees them move into third place in the table IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-psg-win-thriller-2-1-in-barcelona-641085.html Thu, 02 Oct 2025 12:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-barca-go-top-after-beating-real-sociedad-2-1-640741.html Madrid Sep 29 FC Barcelona went to the top of La Liga after the seventh round of games after Lamine Yamal came off the bench to set up the winning goal in a 21 triumph at home to Real Sociedad Barca coach Hansi Flick handed a first start to 17yearold Dro in attacking midfield while Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres were on the subs benchBarca controlled nearly all of the ball but were undone by Ander Barrenetxea who set up Alvaro Odriozola for a simple finish reports XinhuaJules Kounde made it 11 just before halftime with a powerful header from Marcus Rashfords corner but the game was in the balance before Yamal was brought on as a 58th minute substituteHis first action was to cross for Robert Lewandowski to head in what turned out to be the winning goal just a minute laterTakefusa Kubo hit the post for Real Sociedad and Lewandowski did the same for Barca in the closing minutes while Yamal also had a goal ruled out for offsideEarlier Atletico Madrid won Saturdays Madrid derby 52 at home to Real Madrid to end Reals perfect start to the season and to keep its own title hopes aliveIn a topsyturvy first half Robin Le Normand headed Atletico ahead only for Kylian Mbappe and Arda Guler to put Real ahead before Alexander Sorloths powerful header made it 22 at the breakThe second half belonged to Atletico with Arda Gulers high foot on Nico Gonzalez gifting the home side a penalty that Julian Alvarez slotted away before the Argentinean scored a wonderful free kick to make it 42Real Madrid had no answer and Antoine Griezmann rounded off a fine win with Atleticos fifth goal in injury timeVillarreal is third after Alberto Moleiro scored the only goal of an entertaining match as Villarreal won 10 at home to Athletic BilbaoAthletic was slightly on top in a first half where both sides missed chances but Villarreal was stronger after the break with Marcelino Garcias substitutions making the differenceSevilla produced a smash and grab act to win away to Rayo Vallecano with Akor Adams scoring a late goal in the 10 win after goalkeeper Odysseas Vlachodimos saved everything a dominant Rayo threw at him before Adams sneaked the points with his 87th minute winnerElches incredible start to life back in the elite continued with a 21 win at home to Celta that leaves Eder Sarabias side fourth and unbeaten this seasonAndre Silva put Elche ahead with his third goal of the season and although Borja Iglesias made it 11 John Donald gave Elche all three points after Rafa Mir had seen a penalty savedSunday also saw Betis win 20 at home to Osasuna thanks to first half goals from Abde Ezzalzouli and Cucho HernandezTakuma Asano scored the only goal as Mallorca claimed the first win of the season with a 10 win at home to Alaves while Getafe and Levante shared the points with Ivan Romero putting Levante ahead before Juan Iglesias equalized in the second halfGirona and Espanyol drew 00 on Friday to leave Girona still winless and bottom of the table IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-barca-go-top-after-beating-real-sociedad-2-1-640741.html Mon, 29 Sep 2025 16:38:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-palhinha-strikes-in-stoppage-time-as-spurs-play-out-draw-against-wolves-640639.html London Sep 28 Joao Palhinhas late late strike rescued a point against Wolves in the Premier League at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium It looked like a frustrating second half was going to end with the visitors winless so far in the Premier League this term taking maximum points but as Spurs ticked into the fourth minute of added time Palhinha arrowed in from the edge of the box levelling up Santiago Buenos 54thminute openerThe first half of the first half was a cagey affair punctuated only by Sam Johnstones incredible pointblank save to deny Mo Kudus who stole in at the far post to meet Xavi Simons cross on 15 minutes his header touched onto the crossbar by the goalkeeperSpurs grew into the game with Kudus the central figure It looked like hed opened the scoring with a beauty on 28 minutes whipping into the far corner from Lucas Bergvalls backheeled pass only for the offside flag to go upKudus cross was then met with a spectacular flying volley over from Bergvall think Richarlison against Burnley on 41 minutes and the winger then pinged in a shot from the right angle parried away by Johnstone Palhinha got to the rebound ahead of Marshall Munetsi and went down penalty appeals waved away Richarlison was then inches away from Kudus crossWolves tidy and welldrilled only really offered Jhon Arias lash wide from the right angle until the fourth minute of added time when Arias corner was flicked on and met on the halfvolley by exSpur Matt Doherty his effort clipping the top of the crossbarThe second half was a different story Wolves took the lead with a touch of fortune when Guglielmo Vicario parried out Ladislav Krejcis header from a corner only for the ball to hit Palhinha and fall at the feet of Santiago Bueno who tucked away from close range 54 minutes on the clockVicario denied Hugo Bueno with his feet on 74 minutes as Spurs huffed and puffed but struggled to create chancesRicharlison headed wide from Pedro Porros cross and a couple of longrange efforts from Cristian Romero and Palhinha looked to be it until the fourth minute of added timeMathys Tels cross was touched into the path of Palhinha by Pape Matar Sarr the midfielder spotted a gap to the far corner and found it in style with a crisp low finish from 22 yards IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-palhinha-strikes-in-stoppage-time-as-spurs-play-out-draw-against-wolves-640639.html Sun, 28 Sep 2025 16:05:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/mls-inter-miami-draw-1-1-on-the-road-against-toronto-fc-640645.html Toronto Sep 28 Inter Miami CF earned a 11 draw on the road against Toronto FC to extend its unbeaten run to four this regular season Attacker Tadeo Allende scored the teams goal in the matchup at BMO Field Inter Miami had an early chance in search of pulling ahead in the 12th minute with a rightfooted hit from Rodríguez from the top of the box that forced a diving save from Torontos goalkeeperMessi came close to netting the opener in the 29th minute after receiving a pass from Busquets inside the box but his finish to the left post was savedGoalkeeper Ustari had a notorious intervention at the other end in the 35th minute diving to deny a grounded shot from Alonso Coello from the right side of the pitch just outside the boxAfter a dangerous attempt from Messi that was stopped in the 44th minute Inter Miami found the breakthrough goal through Allende in the first minute of added time The Argentine attacker headed home a precise cross from Alba from the left flank at the far post to send the match into the half with a 01 lead for Inter Miami The goal was Allendes ninth this regular season while Alba tallied his 11th assist this league campaignThe hosts equalized in the second half with Djordje Mihailovic scoring for Toronto FC in the 60th minuteInter Miami pushed to restore its lead through the remaining minutes but ultimately the 11 scoreline remained unchanged through the final whistleThe closest opportunities came through Messi with a shot from just inside the box to the near post being stopped in the 76th minute and a dangerous free kick attempt in the 83rd minute that was also met by a save from Torontos keeperNext Inter Miami faces a quick turnaround as it prepares to host Chicago Fire FC on Tuesday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/mls-inter-miami-draw-1-1-on-the-road-against-toronto-fc-640645.html Sun, 28 Sep 2025 16:11:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/upstaged-by-dembele-barcas-lamine-yamal-willing-to-wait-to-win-ballon-dor-640232.html Madrid Sep 23 FC Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal remains patient in his pursuit of the coveted Ballon dOr as suggested by his recent social media post The Barcelona and Spain player who recently celebrated his 18th birthday was named second behind Paris SaintGermains Ousmane Dembele in Mondays starstudded presentation in Paris Despite his impressive performance in leading Barca to both a League and Cup double in Spain and reaching the Champions League semifinals last season Yamal recognises that his opportunity to claim the Ballon dOr will come reports XinhuaGods plan is perfect you have to climb to get to the summit wrote the teenager on his social mediaMeanwhile though he missed out on the Ballon dOr Yamal retained the Kopa Trophy for the best young player for a second consecutive year I am happy for the Trophy Kopa X2 and I want to congratulate Dembele for his award and a great season he addedParis SaintGermain forward Ousmane Dembele won the 2025 mens Ballon dOr at the annual awards ceremony in Paris claiming the honour for the first time in his careerThe 28yearold French international who scored 35 goals and provided 16 assists last season as PSG lifted the UEFA Champions League Ligue 1 and French Cup titles became the sixth French player to receive the award and the first since Karim Benzema in 2022Dembele was visibly emotional on stage This award was never the goal in my career but I fought to win the Champions League for the team he saidBarcelonas 18yearold forward Lamine Yamal finished second in the mens Ballon dOr vote and received the Kopa Trophy for best young player while his club teammate Vicky Lopez won the womens Kopa TrophyPSG was named the Mens Club of the Year after recording 48 wins and scoring 168 goals last season en route to four straight Ligue 1 titles and a Champions League crown Coach Luis Enrique was honoured as mens best coach while Gianluigi Donnarumma took the mens best goalkeeper award and Viktor Gyokeres finished as top scorer The Socrates Award for humanitarian work went to the Xana Foundation established by Enrique in memory of his late daughter IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/upstaged-by-dembele-barcas-lamine-yamal-willing-to-wait-to-win-ballon-dor-640232.html Wed, 24 Sep 2025 00:48:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/slot-defends-referee-over-stoppage-time-after-liverpool-beat-everton-2-1-640103.html Liverpool Sep 23 Liverpool manager Arne Slot has backed the referees decision to add only three minutes of stoppage time in their tense 21 Merseyside derby victory over Everton on Saturday dismissing rival complaints about timewasting Everton boss David Moyes had called the decision very strange while winger Jack Grealish claimed Liverpool were trying to slow the game down at times Grealishs frustration boiled over as he confronted the referee after the final whistle and was shown a yellow cardLiverpool looked to be in complete control after firsthalf goals from Ryan Gravenberch and Hugo Ekitike but Idrissa Gueyes strike midway through the second half set up a nervy finish at Goodison Park as Everton piled forwardSlot however insisted the three minutes of stoppage time were appropriate A lot has been said about the added time against Everton but I would have loved to play on three or four seconds more because we were in a fivevtwo situation at that moment Slot told the clubs website Now that tells you I think all about the mentality we have always wanting to score a goal The three minutes were completely correct by the way because there were only three moments where a substitution was madeThere was no timewasting because thats not what we do and there was no treatment of injuries one goal scoredThe win kept Liverpool at the top of the Premier League table while Everton were left frustrated after failing to find an equaliser despite late pressureSlots side now turn their attention to the domestic cup hosting Southampton in the League Cup third round on Tuesday before resuming league duties away to Crystal Palace on Saturday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/slot-defends-referee-over-stoppage-time-after-liverpool-beat-everton-2-1-640103.html Tue, 23 Sep 2025 13:51:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/europa-league-emery-eyes-spark-for-villa-forest-marks-emotional-comeback-640143.html New Delhi Sep 23 Unai Emery will hope a return to the Europa League this week serves as the spark plug that ignites Aston Villas season while Nottingham Forest embark on their first European campaign in three decades Emery is the most successful manager in Europa League history having lifted the trophy three times with Sevilla and once with Villarreal and also guiding Arsenal to the 2019 final Yet his current side has struggled to get going domestically Villa remain winless in their first five Premier League games and had failed to score before Sundays 11 draw at 10man SunderlandOur start weve not been doing well admitted the Spaniard who cut a frustrated figure after the draw There is still work to do some players are adapting in the squad and our idea and they will need time Other players were here last year and know how we want to build the team and how we were being successful in the last three yearsVilla reached the quarterfinals of last seasons Champions League losing 54 on aggregate to eventual winners Paris SaintGermain After narrowly missing out on qualification for the competition again they now begin their first Europa League maindraw campaign since 200809 at home to Bologna on Thursday a repeat of their 20 win over the Italians in the Champions League last October Bologna qualified this year by winning the Italian Cup their first major trophy since 1974Like Emery Nottingham Forests new boss Ange Postecoglou also knows the feeling of Europa League glory The Australian appointed earlier this month ended Tottenhams long trophy drought by beating Manchester United in last seasons final Still he is searching for his first victory at Forest following two defeats including an early League Cup exit and Saturdays 11 draw at BurnleyI do like my teams to play exciting football and score goals Postecoglou said upon his arrival at the City Ground home to the 1979 and 1980 European Cup winners No apologies about that Thats just the way I am and the way I want to see my teams playForest travel to Spain on Wednesday to face Real Betis in their first European fixture since the quarterfinals of the 199596 UEFA Cup against Bayern Munich Betis managed by Manuel Pellegrini finished runnersup to Chelsea in last seasons UEFA Conference League and boast former Manchester United winger Antony who has rejoined the club on a fiveyear deal after a successful loan spellElsewhere the competition welcomes heavyweights and fallen giants alike Celtic led by Brendan Rodgers travel to Serbia to face Red Star Belgrade in a clash of former European champions Rangers meanwhile enter the Europa League under mounting pressure Embattled boss Russell Martin has faced protests from fans amid the clubs worst domestic start since 1978 During Saturdays League Cup win over Hibernian supporters hurled hundreds of coloured balls onto the pitch in a show of anger I cant control any of it Martin said At this football club it becomes about one person really quickly Its become about me not by my choiceThe competition also features twotime winners Porto who open against Salzburg and Feyenoord under Robin van Persie who begin at Braga Roma twice runnersup meet Nice while Fenerbahce who parted ways with Jose Mourinho after missing the Champions League start their campaign at Dinamo Zagreb IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/europa-league-emery-eyes-spark-for-villa-forest-marks-emotional-comeback-640143.html Tue, 23 Sep 2025 16:13:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-no-room-for-slip-ups-for-atletico-in-first-of-two-madrid-derbies-this-week-640189.html Madrid Spain Sep 23 Atletico Madrid will play a derby against Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday in the sixth round of the Spanish La Liga The game is the first of two derbies for Atletico this week and Diego Simeones side needs to win both otherwise this seasons title could already slip out of reach before September ends Atleticos 11 draw in Mallorca left it nine points behind former champions Real Madrid and with Real visiting Levante on Tuesday that gap could stretch to 12 points before kickoff at the Metropolitano Stadium With Atletico hosting Real on Saturday anything other than two wins would leave Simeones team with fading hopes of competing for the titleAtletico striker Alexander Sorloth will miss Wednesdays game after his red card in Mallorca At the same time Simeone is also concerned about forward Julian Alvarez who has not scored since the opening game of the season reports XinhuaWednesdays fixtures will begin with Getafe at home to Alaves with both sides returning from weekend defeats Getafe could have expected a difficult trip to Barcelona but Alaves disappointed in a home loss to Sevilla and coach Eduardo Coudet may add more strength to his midfield against demanding oppositionThere is also likely to be tension in San Sebastian as 18thranked Real Sociedad and 19thplaced Mallorca meet in search of their first win of the seasonSociedad arrive after three consecutive defeats and ahead of a weekend visit to Barcelona while Mallorca showed fighting spirit to take a point against Atletico Key players are expected to be Sociedad forward and captain Mikel Oyarzabal and Mallorca striker Vedat MuriqiDouble injury blow for Barca with bad news for GaviMeanwhile FC Barcelona have suffered a double injury setback on Monday with the attacking midfielder Fermin Lopez suffering a muscle injury while Spain international Gavi will need exploratory surgery on a knee problemFermin went down on the pitch at the end of Sundays 30 win at home to Getafe holding the back of his left leg with clear signs of pain before limping off the pitchTests carried out on Monday have shown he has suffered an iliopsoas muscle injury in his left leg He will be out of action for around three weeks according to the official Barcelona websiteFermin will miss Thursdays visit to Oviedo and next Sundays home game against Real Sociedad as well as next weeks big Champions League tie against reigning European champions Paris SaintGermain and another La Liga game away to SevillaThere was worse news for Gavi after the club also confirmed on Monday that he would undergo an arthroscopic examination on his right knee to attempt to resolve a longstanding problemGavi originally tore the cruciate ligament in the knee in November 2023 but had been back in action since the end of 2024 before the problem flared up again in the opening days of the season and he has been sidelined for around a monthBarca reported on Monday that the decision to operate came after the player underwent intense sporting stress tests after finishing his conservation course of treatment for the radial injury to the internal meniscus in his right kneeThe club didnt announce how much longer this would sideline Gavi for merely saying it would release an update once the procedure has been carried outBarca coach Hansi Flick also has doubts over the fitness of winger Lamine Yamal who has missed the last two games with a pelvic injury caused partly by the amount of football he has played in recent months while midfielder Frenkie de Jong has also struggled with an ankle problem IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-no-room-for-slip-ups-for-atletico-in-first-of-two-madrid-derbies-this-week-640189.html Tue, 23 Sep 2025 19:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/quarterfinal-action-set-stage-for-subroto-cup-junior-boys-640024.html New Delhi Sep 22 The quarterfinal stage of the 64th Subroto Cup International Football Tournament Junior Boys U17 brought drama grit and some outstanding football as teams battled for a place in the semifinals From tense penalty shootouts to dominant performances the day had it all showcasing the passion and potential of young footballers in one of Indias biggest interschool football tournamentsFr Agnel Multipurpose Higher Secondary School Goa and ASC Centre Army Boys Company played out a nervewracking contest that ended in a penalty shootout In a highpressure finish Army Boys Company held their nerve to win 43 on penalties and advance to the semifinalsAmenity Public School CBSE stunned Army Public School APS with a commanding 40 victory Rashid netted two goals 14 351 while Ayush 40 and Aabhas 53 added to the tally in a confident displayMinerva Public School CISCE were left disappointed as RMSA School Mizoram produced a clinical performance to secure a 30 win Zouas double 352 58 and Mawmas late strike 703 sealed Mizorams semifinal spotGovernment Senior Secondary School Lakshadweep went down 02 against Farook Higher Secondary School Kerala Jaseer 22 opened the scoring and Adikrishna 40 ensured Keralas safe passage into the final fourThe quarterfinals delivered a mindblowing spectacle of talent and determination setting the perfect stage for tomorrows semifinals With the competition heating up fans can expect even more thrilling football as the best of the best battle for a place in the grand finale IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/quarterfinal-action-set-stage-for-subroto-cup-junior-boys-640024.html Mon, 22 Sep 2025 22:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-martinelli-strikes-late-to-help-arsenal-salvage-a-point-against-man-city-639840.html London Sep 21 Gabriel Martinelli came off the bench to score a superb injurytime equaliser and claim a point for Arsenal against Manchester City in a Premier League match at the Emirates on Sunday It was a game of two halves a disappointing first half followed by a fightback by the Gunners in the second In the first half a few clearcut chances Erling Haaland had slid home the opener for Manchester City inside ten minutes a goal that came out of nothing for the visitors Arsenal created more chances in the second half with Eberechi Eze and Leandro Trossard having shots blocked but time looked to be running out until Martinellis superb late lob saved them a pointMartinelli raced onto an Eze ball over the top before lifting his shot over Gianluigi Donnarumma and under the bar to earn a share of the spoilsThe Gunners had enjoyed just under 80 per cent of the possession in the opening 10 minutes but it counted for nothing when the visitors took the lead with their first attack of the game There seemed to be no trouble at all when the home side had the ball inside the centre circle but all of a sudden Halaand won possession and sprung a counterattack Tijjani Reijnders raced away and slipped in the overlapping Haaland for the Norwegian to stroke into the corner It was the first goal Arsenal had conceded from open play all season Citys next chance came when Mikel Merino was tackled just outside his own area the ball was moved along to Reijnders but his shot trickled through to David RayaThe home side needed to create something at the other end Merino nearly set Leandro Trossard away through the middle but Abdukodir Khusanov recovered well to snuff out the danger City brought on defensive reinforcements to stifle our play and it looked as though their deep block would reap dividends until Martinellis late strike Eze had the ball in the centre circle and lifted a fine pass over the top to the Brazilian who had only been on for 10 minutes He took a superb touch before lifting the ball perfectly over Donnarumma and in for a late late deserved point IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-martinelli-strikes-late-to-help-arsenal-salvage-a-point-against-man-city-639840.html Mon, 22 Sep 2025 00:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-barca-move-to-second-after-easy-win-atletico-drops-more-points-639856.html Madrid Sep 22 FC Barcelona climbed to second place in La Liga on Sunday with a 30 home win over Getafe Playing at the 6000capacity Johan Cruyff Stadium for the second time in a week Hansi Flicks side dominated throughout Ferran Torres struck twice set up by Marcus Rashford and Dani Olmo before Olmo added the third in the 62nd minute from another Rashford assist Getafe with only 28 percent possession rarely threatenedAtletico Madrid fell further behind in the title race after a 11 draw away to Mallorca leaving them nine points off leaders Real Madrid and seven behind Barca Mallorca goalkeeper Leo Roman saved a Julian Alvarez penalty and made several key stops before Conor Gallagher finally broke through in the 79th minute Atletico reduced to 10 men after Alexander Sorloths red card were denied victory when Vedat Muriqi equalized six minutes from timeElsewhere Rayo Vallecano and Celta Vigo drew 11 with Borja Iglesias giving Celta the lead before Jorge de Frutos leveled Elche continued their strong start after promotion beating Real Oviedo 10 through an Andre Silva strike that lifted them to fifth placeOn Saturday Real Madrid made it five wins from five with a 20 victory at home to Espanyol Eder Militao opened with a longrange strike and Kylian Mbappe doubled the lead early in the second halfOsasuna led at Villarreal through Ante Budimirs penalty despite going down to 10 men when Valentin Rosier was sent off in the 39th minute Georges Mikautadze equalized before Villarreal claimed victory via a late deflection off Pape GueyeAthletic Bilbaos Dani Vivian was sent off in the 60th minute of their defeat at Valencia where Baptiste Santamaria and Hugo Duro scored for the hostsSevilla won 21 away to Alaves with goals from Ruben Vargas and Alexis Sanchez while Levante cruised to a 40 win at Girona after the home side had Axel Witsel and Victor Reis dismissed Etta Eyong Carlos Alvarez Ivan Romero and Koyalipou were all on targetOn Friday Betis defeated Real Sociedad 31 thanks to goals from Cucho Hernandez Pablo Fornals and an Alex Remiro own goal IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/la-liga-barca-move-to-second-after-easy-win-atletico-drops-more-points-639856.html Mon, 22 Sep 2025 10:15:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/mls-messi-allende-on-target-to-lead-inter-miami-to-3-2-win-over-dc-united-639731.html Fort Lauderdale Sep 21 Lionel Messi bagging a brace and dishing out an assist as Inter Miami CF defeated DC United 32 at home to close out the week with a second consecutive win Attacker Tadeo Allende scored the teams other goal on the night at Chase StadiumAdditionally with his two goals and assist tonight Messi recorded his 16th game with at least one goal and one assist tying Carlos Vela 16 for the secondmost in a players first three MLS seasons and trailing only Preki 17It seemed as if the match would go into the break scoreless after an even first 45 minutes before Allende found the breakthrough goal for Inter Miami to pull ahead in the 35th minute A sublime linesplitting ball from Messi left Allende one on one against the oppositions goalkeeper where he slotted the ball at the bottom right corner for his eight goal this regular season The assist meanwhile was Messis teamleading 12th this league campaign Inter Miami reportsThe visitors equalised early in the second half with Christian Benteke scoring for DC United in the 53rd minuteInter Miami then nearly reclaimed its lead on two different occasions First Messi rattled the crossbar with a finish from inside the box in the 55th minute before an attempt from close range from Allende was saved in the 59th minuteMessi subsequently reestablished Inter Miamis lead in the 66th minute with Alba finding our Club captain on the right end of the box before he performed a quick turn and sent the ball to the back of the net with a leftfooted finish to the bottom right corner The goal took Messis tally to 21 this regular season while the assist was the 10th for AlbaInter Miami had a penalty in its favor in the 72nd minute but the attempt from the spot bounced off the crossbarOur Club captain secured his brace in the 85th minute to give Inter Miami a 31 lead placing the ball in the upper left corner with a leftfooted hit from the top of the box following an assist from BusquetsThe goal was Messis 22 this regular season as he now leads the race for the MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi while the assist was Busquets seventh in the league this seasonJacob Murrell scored in the seventh minute of stoppage time to shorten the deficit for DCThe 32 scoreline would then remain unchanged through the final whistle for Inter Miami to claim all three points at home IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/mls-messi-allende-on-target-to-lead-inter-miami-to-3-2-win-over-dc-united-639731.html Sun, 21 Sep 2025 11:06:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-liverpool-extend-perfect-start-with-derby-win-over-everton-639700.html London Sep 20 Liverpool maintained their flawless start to the clubs Premier League title defence with a fifth straight win overcoming crosstown rivals Everton 21 in the Merseyside derby at Anfield here on Saturday Arne Slots side seized control early as Ryan Gravenberch lifted Mohamed Salahs pass into the net after just 10 minutes The Dutch midfielder then turned provider before the halfhour mark slipping in Hugo Ekitike to beat Jordan Pickford with a precise low strikeLiverpools depth was underlined by the fact that 241 millionpound summer recruits Florian Wirtz and Alexander Isak remained on the bench until the second halfEverton grew into the contest and struck back after 58 minutes Jack Grealishs cross reached Iliman Ndiaye at the far post who teed up Idrissa Gueye to smash home a powerful rising effort past AlissonThey tried for the equaliser but Liverpool thwarted their efforts and held them at bay With Everton on the attack it was a tense final half hour from which the Reds emerged with the points to maintain their perfect start to the defence of the title reports XinhuaManager Arne Slot was happy to come out with full points in this match as Liverpool faced an intense period playing in two different competitions emerging with three victoriesThis is also the reason why teams like us Chelsea all the ones that are playing in Europe need a squad like this because you need to play so many games Again its not an excuse we have to accept it as it is but we have had some issues with Alexander Isak not training for four months Alexis Mac Allister missing out a lot I can go on and on and on But the good thing is I do have the options to rotate throughout the week and the ones that played three times 90 are Virgil van Dijk Ibou Konate Mo Salah Ryan and Dom Szoboszlai the ones that are used to this intensity at this level and again they showed up really good said Slot IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-liverpool-extend-perfect-start-with-derby-win-over-everton-639700.html Sat, 20 Sep 2025 22:43:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-haaland-sets-record-in-man-citys-win-over-napoli-639357.html London Sep 19 Erling Haaland set another milestone as Manchester City battled past Napoli 20 in their Champions League opener with the Norwegian becoming the fastest player to reach 50 goals in the competition Haaland needed just 49 games to achieve the feat heading in Phil Fodens clever pass in the 56th minute to put City ahead Nine minutes later Jeremy Doku added a second to seal the victoryThe night also marked Kevin De Bruynes muchanticipated return to the Etihad after leaving the club in the summer following 10 years of service Greeted warmly by City fans his comeback lasted only 26 minutes before Napoli coach Antonio Conte substituted him after Giovanni di Lorenzo was sent off for bringing down Haaland as the last defender reports XinhuaIt proved a measured opening with City quickly assuming territorial dominance and controlThe games first real flashpoint then arrived on 19 minutes when Napoli were reduced to 10 men after skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo was sent off for bringing down Erling HaalandThe games first real flashpoint then arrived on 19 minutes when Napoli were reduced to 10 men after skipper Giovanni Di Lorenzo was sent off for bringing down Erling HaalandHaving been turned by Haaland the defender sought to atone but only succeeded in bringing the Norwegian down on the edge of the boxThough referee Zwayer initially waived play on he was advised by VAR to check again on the pitch side monitor and had no hesitation in showing the red cardKevin De Bruynes emotional return to the Etihad was then cut short on 26 minutesThe Belgian back on his old stomping ground four months after leaving was replaced by Mathias Olivera as Napoli boss Antonio Conte sought to shore up his back line and De Bruyne was afforded a rapturous sustained ovation from all four corners of the groundWith the pressure building City sought to make our numerical advantage tell and MilinkovicSavic produced a breathtaking 42nd minute save to deny Nico OReillys deft header the keeper diving low to his right to somehow claw the ball awayAnd the Serbian was there again in first half injury time to deny Tijjani Reijnders via a fortuitous touch off Politano which diverted a goal bound shot into the grateful keepers handsThe second half saw City continue to lay siege to the Napoli goal and the crucial breakthrough finally arrived on the 58 minutes through that man Erling HaalandThe big man maintained his stunning start to the season neatly latching onto Phil Fodens cute assist to head over MalinkovicSavic to chalk up his 50th career goal in the Champions League in record timeIt was his 12th goal of the season all told and also meant he was the quickest player in Champions League to reach the 50 landmark achieving it in just 49 gamesWith the Napoli dam breached City then further emphasised our dominance with Jeremy Doku doubling the advantage with a superb 62nd minute strikeThe Belgian winger waltzed through four challenges inside the visitors box before coolly despatching a precise finish to set the seal on a fine nights work for City IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-haaland-sets-record-in-man-citys-win-over-napoli-639357.html Fri, 19 Sep 2025 09:45:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-rashfords-brace-inspires-barcelona-beat-newcastle-639360.html London Sep 19 Marcus Rashford made a dazzling Champions League debut for Barcelona inspiring them to a 21 victory as Newcastle Uniteds campaign began with defeat at St James Park On loan from Manchester United Rashford proved the difference with two quickfire secondhalf goals that silenced the home crowd and left England manager Thomas Tuchel watching on impressedThe breakthrough came on the 58th minute when he rose to meet Jules Koundes cross with a precise header past Nick Pope Nine minutes later he delivered an even better strike a thunderous 20yard effort that crashed in off the crossbar leaving Pope with no chance They were Rashfords first Champions League goals in nearly four years reports XinhuaIt was a standout performance from the 26yearold who spent last season on loan at Aston Villa in Europes top competition This time he was central to Barcelonas formidable attacking unit even in the absence of injured teenager Lamine YamalNewcastle boss Eddie Howe raised eyebrows with his team selection leaving 69 millionpound signing Nick Woltemade on the bench and opting for Anthony Gordon in a central role Gordon struggled to influence proceedings while Rashford punished Newcastle with ruthless finishingThe striker left the pitch to a standing ovation from the visiting supporters when he was substituted 10 minutes from timeGordon did pull one back for Newcastle deep into stoppage time but Barcelona held firm to secure the winIn another match Leverkusen twice came from behind to claim a share of the spoils in a dramatic 22 draw against Copenhagen in the Danish capitalCopenhagen went in front in the ninth minute via Jordan Larssons cushioned halfvolley and led until late in the contest with Alejandro Grimaldos exquisite freekick levelling eight minutes from timeSubstitute Roberts deft header appeared to have given the Danish Superliga outfit maximum points before Pantelis Hatzidiakos deflected a cross into his own net in added timeElsewhere Jonathan Burkardt scored twice as Frankfurt recovered from a slow start to ease past Galatasaray 51Yunus Akgun fired the visitors ahead in the eighth minute but a Davinson Sánchez own goal brought the hosts levelGoals from Can Uzun and Burkardt then turned the contest around in firsthalf stoppage time The latter headed in his second goal from Nathaniel Browns cross after the break while Ansgar Knauff rounded Galatasaray goalkeeper Ugurcan Cakır to complete a fine win IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-rashfords-brace-inspires-barcelona-beat-newcastle-639360.html Fri, 19 Sep 2025 10:01:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/he-seems-to-break-every-record-foden-on-haalands-champions-league-goalscoring-milestone-639374.html Manchester Sep 19 Manchester City midfielder Phil Foden said that Erling Haalands goalscoring feats are unique after the Norwegian became the fastest player ever to score 50 Champions League goals in Citys 20 win over Napoli and added the Norwegian seems to break every record going forward After a goalless first half with the Italian champions at the Etihad Stadium Haaland broke the deadlock shortly after halftime when flicking home a Foden scoopIt means hes reached a half century in European footballs premier competition in just 49 matches surpassing Ruud van Nistelrooy who notched the same amount in 62 outingsHe seems to break every record going At his age as well its unheard of what hes done I dont think anyones going to break the records hes going to break if he carries on playing the way he is Foden said on TNT SportsHaalands scoring rate of more than one per game is significantly better than anyone else in the top 50 scorers in European Cup history 27 of his goals in the Champions League have come with City while he netted 15 times for Borussia Dortmund and on eight occasions for Red Bull Salzburg before moving to the EtihadFollowing Haalands historic header Jeremy Doku rubberstamped the success with a welltaken goal with 25 minutes remaining As City look to be crowned champions of Europe for the second time in their illustrious history Foden believes the team made the ideal start to that pursuitIts the perfect start a 20 win against a very tough opponent obviously they went down to 10 men early which helped us But theyre a nightmare team to break down and weve seen that today The structure how they stay so deep and they give you minimal spaces Its about playing the ball at the right time and breaking the lines I thought we were pretty clever we didnt give too many turnovers away in silly areas and overall it was a solid performance Foden said IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/he-seems-to-break-every-record-foden-on-haalands-champions-league-goalscoring-milestone-639374.html Fri, 19 Sep 2025 11:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-van-dijk-heads-liverpool-to-dramatic-late-win-over-atletico-in-opener-639139.html Liverpool Sep 18 Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk powered home a stoppagetime header to snatch a 32 victory over Atletico Madrid in a pulsating Champions League groupstage opener on Wednesday night at Anfield The Dutchman rose highest to meet a corner in the 92nd minute sealing the points just as the game seemed destined for a draw after Marcos Llorentes brace had pulled the visitors back from two goals downMoments later Atletico manager Diego Simeone was shown a red card after clashing with the crowd in a fiery endingLiverpool had begun at breakneck speed scoring twice before the sixminute mark Andy Robertson opened the account in the fourth minute turning in Mohamed Salahs freekick after it ricocheted off him and looped past a stranded Jan Oblak Salah then doubled the lead moments later bulldozing through three Atletico defenders after a neat onetwo with Ryan Gravenberch before finishing crisply into the far cornerAtletico however clawed their way back Llorente struck just before halftime with a clinical finish to cut the deficit He returned in the 81st minute with a thunderous volley that took a deflection on its way into the net levelling the scores and evoking memories of his double at Anfield in 2020 which knocked Liverpool out of the competitionMarcos likes this stadium he repeated a fantastic performance here Simeone said afterwards I think our spirits are high We lost in the end sometimes its your turn to lose thats what happened todayBut Liverpools trademark resilience came to the fore yet again Having already won four Premier League matches this season with goals inside the final 10 minutes Van Dijks late intervention extended the habitWe kept pushing Van Dijk said We found a way again Im glad I got the winner You have to keep going and show the resilience we have been showing for many years It was another great European night here We have shown many times that we are capable of doing it and today I am the lucky one with the winnerRobertson while delighted with the victory urged his team to rediscover efficiency Its a great thing to keep going right to the end but when you are 20 up and playing so well it should have been a more comfortable night the leftback saidThe match also marked the debut of British record signing Alexander Isak who arrived from Newcastle United on deadline day for 125 million The Swedish striker lasted 58 minutes flashing one shot wide late in the first half before sending another straight at OblakLiverpool dominated statistically firing 20 shots to Atleticos 10 but Salah also struck the post with a closerange chance that nearly proved costly Still Arne Slots men extended their run of dramatic victories as they seek to build on last seasons strong leaguephase showing which ended with a last16 defeat to eventual winners Paris SaintGermain IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-van-dijk-heads-liverpool-to-dramatic-late-win-over-atletico-in-opener-639139.html Thu, 18 Sep 2025 09:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-juventus-fight-back-to-draw-thriller-mbappe-inspires-real-madrid-638908.html New Delhi Sep 17 Juventus struck late to draw an eightgoal thriller against Borussia Dortmund and a Kylian Mbappe double helped Real Madrid past Marseille as the league phase of the 202526 UEFA Champions League kicked off Juventus and Borussia Dortmund shared the spoils after an eightgoal thriller in Turin that equalled the record for highestscoring Champions League draw Khephren Thuram and Lois Openda both went close for the hosts in the first half before Karim Adeyemis 52ndminute finish sparked the encounter into lifeKenan Yıldız Felix Nmecha and Dušan Vlahovi all scored in a fourminute flurry before Yan Coutos powerful finish made it 32 to Dortmund The visitors looked to have sealed victory through Ramy Bensebainis 85thminute penalty but Juventus rescued a draw in added time thanks to Dušan Vlahovis finish and a Lloyd Kelly headerMeanwhile a pair of penalties from Kylian Mbappe helped Real Madrid turn a deficit into victory in Xabi Alonsos first Champions League game at the helm After withstanding early pressure from the hosts Marseille struck first through Timothy Weahs emphatic finish but Alonsos side were quickly level when Mbappe converted from the spot following a foul by Geoffrey Kondogbia on RodrygoAlthough Madrid had Dani Carvajal sent off in the 72nd minute Mbappé struck again with nine minutes left after Facundo Medina was penalised for handballElsewhere substitutes Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard struck to give Arsenal a winning start in a tight contest in Bilbao with Athletic Club making their first Champions League appearance since 201415Neither goalkeeper was unduly troubled until Martinelli scored within seconds of his introduction collecting a Trossard flick from inside the visitors half and charging through to slot in Another blistering Martinelli run created the second goal teeing up Trossard to seal victory with a deflected finishMikel Artetas substitutions paid off brilliantly as Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard came off the bench to score and get Arsenals Champions League campaign off the perfect start with 20 win over Athletic ClubNeither goalkeeper was unduly troubled until Martinelli scored within seconds of his introduction collecting a Trossard flick from inside the visitors half and charging through to slot in Another blistering Martinelli run created the second goal teeing up Trossard to seal victory with a deflected finishUEFA Europa League holders Tottenham returned to the Champions League with a narrow 10 win over Villarreal The hosts needed less than five minutes to score what proved to be the winner Villarreal goalkeeper Luiz Júnior inadvertently directing Lucas Bergvalls cross into his own netTajon Buchanan and Nicolas Pépé had chances to draw the visitors level but Tottenham were relatively comfortable as they held on to mark Thomas Franks managerial debut in the Champions League with a victory IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/champions-league-juventus-fight-back-to-draw-thriller-mbappe-inspires-real-madrid-638908.html Wed, 17 Sep 2025 09:44:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/mls-messis-inter-miami-claim-dominant-3-1-home-win-over-seattle-sounders-638919.html Fort Lauderdale Sep 17 Inter Miami CF returned to winning ways with a dominant 31 home win over Seattle Sounders FC Stellar performances from captain and Royal Caribbean Icon of the Match Lionel Messi and defender Jordi Alba who scored a goal and dished out an assist each and a goal from Academy product Ian Fray led Inter Miami to victory on the evening at Chase StadiumInter Miami got off to a quick start with Alba finding the opener early in the 12th minute Bright recovered possession close to the halfway line to kickstart a counter Messi subsequently picked up the ball and cleared his path before finding Alba on the left side where the Spanish defender took a touch before finding the back of the net with a leftfooted finishThe goal took Albas tally to three this regular season while the assist was the 11th for Messi this league campaign Inter Miami reportsFray had a good chance to extend Inter Miamis lead shortly after in the 16th minute but his shot from the right end of the box following a precise pass from Messi was met by a save from Seattles goalkeeperMessi nearly struck in the 28th minute bringing down a sublime ball from Busquets inside the box and hitting the left post with an outside of the foot finish Fray then had another dangerous attempt in the 33rd minute with a powerful header at the near post that was stopped by Seattles keeperMessi ultimately was able to double the lead for Inter Miami in the 41st minute Bright once again kickstarted the play winning possession and finding Alba on the left wing The leftback then fed a precise ball towards the center of the box where Messi slid to send the ball to the back of the netThe goal was the 20th for Messi in 21 regular season appearances while the assist was Albas ninth this regular seasonIt was an overall dominant performance for Inter Miami throughout the initial 45 minutes with six shots on target to two for Seattle while also controlling the ball with 53 of the possessionInter Miami opened the second half further extending its lead through Fray in the 52nd minute The Academy product headed home a delivery into the box from De Paul on a corner kick to bag his first goal of the campaign The assist on the other hand was De Pauls fourth this regular seasonSeattle shortened the deficit in the 69th minute with Obed Vargas scoring for the visitorsInter Miami later on made a substitution in the 81st minute with Silvetti coming on to replace Allende to make his debut for the ClubThe 31 scoreline would subsequently remain unchanged through the final whistle for Inter Miami to claim all three points at home IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/mls-messis-inter-miami-claim-dominant-3-1-home-win-over-seattle-sounders-638919.html Wed, 17 Sep 2025 10:47:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/prados-season-ending-injury-major-setback-as-athletic-club-returns-to-champions-league-638729.html Madrid Sep 16 Athletic Bilbao received a major setback on the eve of its Champions League return after 11 years with confirmation that midfielder Benat Prados has suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament The club announced that Prados sustained the injury to his left knee in training last week The 24yearold will miss the rest of the seasonTests carried out by Athletic Clubs medical services on firstteam player Benat Prados reveal that the footballer has suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee The date for surgery will be determined in the near future and we will provide updates on his progress the clubs statement readA product of Athletics youth academy Prados made 45 appearances last season and 33 the previous campaign after returning from a loan at seconddivision side MirandesPrados was considered third choice in central midfield under coach Ernesto Valverde behind Mikel Jauregizar and the injuryprone veteran Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta His absence means he would have been expected to play an important role in a campaign that includes the Champions League La Liga Copa del Rey and Spanish Super CupValverde will now turn to another veteran Mikel Vesga along with Bteam product Alejandro Rego to cover for the midfielders lossAtheltic Club will play Premier League side Arsenal on Tuesday evening in their Champions League openerAthletic Clubs last participation in the group stageleague phase of the Champions League was in the 201415 season Their only other previous appearance was 199899The Spanish side won all four of their home matches in the league phase of the UEFA Europa League last season They also won their home leg in the round of 16 and quarterfinals against Roma 31 and Rangers 20 respectively but lost 30 against Manchester United at home in the first leg of the semifinals IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/prados-season-ending-injury-major-setback-as-athletic-club-returns-to-champions-league-638729.html Tue, 16 Sep 2025 09:39:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-aiming-to-rewrite-uefa-champions-league-history-638750.html New Delhi Sep 16 Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta urged his side to rewrite UEFA Champions League history as they begin their campaign on Tuesday Arsenal has never won the UCL trophy their last appearance in the finals of the tournament came in 2006 against FC Barcelona Well that tells you with our long history how difficult it is because we havent won it yet and thats the opportunity Thats how I see it but pressure is the opportunity that drives that energy and that willingness to be better every single day Every decision has to be with that standard and with those expectations so lets give our best chance to try to do itThe big clubs who have won it they try seven eight nine times and they maybe win two So in this competition its going to be one that you fail much more than you succeed Thats the nature of it Thats the history of our club and thats what we want to change said Arteta in the pregame conferenceArteta has given an update on the fitness of Martin Odegaard Ben White and Bukayo Saka ahead of the match against Athletic ClubArsenals skipper suffered a shoulder injury in their 30 victory over Nottingham Forest and was substituted for Ethan Nwaneri after 18 minutes Ben hasnt featured since starting at Old Trafford on August 17 with Bukayo going off against Leeds United on August 23The Spaniard spoke with the media in Bilbao ahead of the clash at San Mames He said Gabi Kai Ben and Martin are still out unfortunatelyOn Sakas fitness Arteta added No I think there are still quite a lot of things to go through Its very early to understand when and which week hes going to be available But he will certainly be pushing to be available as quickly as possible IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/arsenal-aiming-to-rewrite-uefa-champions-league-history-638750.html Tue, 16 Sep 2025 11:19:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/pl-legend-juan-mata-joins-melbourne-victory-for-202526-season-638789.html Melbourne Sep 16 Melbourne Victory have announced the signing of former Manchester United and Chelsea star Juan Mata ahead of the 202526 ALeague mens season With one of the finest careers in world football Mata is a FIFA World Cup UEFA Champions League and UEFA European Championship winner and has spent the greatest part of his career with the likes of Manchester United Chelsea Valencia and the Spanish National TeamMata said he is looking forward to working with the Club to contribute to onfield success while bringing people together and connecting the community through footballI am excited to be coming to Melbourne and to be part of one of the most respected clubs in the league and playing in front of the incredible members and fans I am driven and motivated to help this team win trophies and to work with the Club as part of a longerterm plan to strengthen football in the country he said in a statementThe midfielder with iconic technical ability and a magical left foot Matas career began at Real Oviedo before earning the move to Real Madrids youth academy as a 15yearold in 2003After impressing in Los Blancos youth ranks Mata made the move to Valencia in 2007 and quickly became a key player for the La Liga club The Burgosborn wizard recorded 46 goals and 52 assists in 174 appearances for Valencia while most notably lifting the 2010 FIFA World Cup with SpainMata then moved to London giants Chelsea in 2011 and started exceptionally well for the Blues winning the UEFA Champions League and FA Cup within his first season while also being recognised as Chelseas Player of the YearOff the back of his club season Mata retained his place in Spains legendary squad for the UEFA Euros in 2012 and famously score the fourth goal in Spains 40 win in the final over ItalyHe went on to make the switch to Manchester United in January 2014 joining the Red Devils for a then clubrecord transfer fee Arriving at Old Trafford in a period of transition from legendary head coach Sir Alex Ferguson to David Moyes the Spaniard consistently became one of Uniteds bright sparks with his unparalleled creative ability and footballing intelligencePlaying a whopping 285 games for United Mata helped the club win the FA Cup League Cup FA Community Shield and their firstever UEFA Europa League in 201617 In 2022 and 2023 Mata won league titles in Turkey and Japan with Galatasaray and Vissel Kobe respectively before travelling down under last season IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/pl-legend-juan-mata-joins-melbourne-victory-for-202526-season-638789.html Tue, 16 Sep 2025 14:22:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/raphinha-lewandowski-lopez-grab-two-goals-each-as-barcelona-put-six-past-valencia-638572.html Barcelona Sep 15 FC Barcelona produced a performance of sheer brilliance as they swept aside Valencia CF 60 at the Estadi Johan Cruyff on Sunday night Two goals apiece from Fermín López Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski ensured a commanding victory that underlined the Catalans dominance despite the absence of several key players including the injured Lamine Yamal The contest relocated from the iconic Camp Nou quickly turned into a showcase of Barcelonas attacking depth and authority Despite controlling 74 of firsthalf possession and registering 11 attempts without reply Barça reached the interval with only a single goalcourtesy of Fermín who converted superbly following Ferran Torres pinpoint assist Valencia offering little resistance were fortunate to trail by just one at the breakThe second half however saw Barcelona decisively shift gears Raphinha capitalised on a defensive lapse between Copete and goalkeeper Julen Agirrezabala to double the advantage Moments later Fermín unleashed a thunderous strike from distance to claim his second of the night effectively sealing the pointsThe goals continued to flow as Raphinha added his brace with a powerful finish after excellent control from a lofted pass Lewandowski introduced late on marked his 150th appearance for the club with a spectacular strike into the top corner before completing the rout with a delicate chipped finish confirmed by VAR after initially being ruled offsideAmid the scoring frenzy the evenings most poignant moment arrived in the 81st minute Marc Bernal sidelined for over a year with a double injury returned to competitive action and provided the assist for Lewandowskis second goal The 18yearolds comeback drew a standing ovation from the crowd symbolising a fresh chapter in his promising careerWith the emphatic result Barcelona climb to second place in La Liga just as they prepare for their opening UEFA Champions League fixture away to Newcastle United on Thursday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/raphinha-lewandowski-lopez-grab-two-goals-each-as-barcelona-put-six-past-valencia-638572.html Mon, 15 Sep 2025 10:50:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/amorim-cannot-put-round-pegs-in-square-holes-danny-murphy-638643.html New Delhi Sep 15 Former England midfielder Danny Murphy believes the problem with Manchester United does not lay in the system that is being implemented by head coach Ruben Amorim rather the individuals he has in the team The Red Devils were second best at the Etihad Stadium as Phil Fodens firsthalf header and Erling Haalands secondhalf double gave Pep Guardiolas side the victory at Etihad Stadium on SundayIm not a fan of the shape but after the first four games I think it has improved they look like they know what they are doing more Their bigger problem has been the individuals he has been playing in that system Bruno Fernandes has been one of the best number 10s in Europe Amorim wants him to play as an 8 and do defensive work which he does not do wellAmorim cannot put round pegs in square holes You have got to have players who understand their role If you are a holding midfielder in that role you have got to be able to track runners and spot dangersThe manager has to take responsibility but in terms of just blaming the system No Palace play it well said Murphy on BBC Match of the DayAfter having finished 15th in the 202425 Premier League season United have once again gotten off to a stuttering start in the new campaign After having already been eliminated from the second round of the Carabao Cup by Grimsby Town the Red Devils have only won one of their four league games this season Despite the 03 defeat Amorim remained adamant that he will not change his footballing philosophyI understand and accept it is not a record you should have at Manchester United There are a lot of things you have no idea what happened during these months but I am not going to change When I want to change my philosophy I will change If not you have to change the man said Amorim in the postgame interview IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/amorim-cannot-put-round-pegs-in-square-holes-danny-murphy-638643.html Mon, 15 Sep 2025 15:16:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/chhetri-returns-as-khalid-jamil-names-30-probables-for-asian-cup-qualifiers-638500.html New Delhi Sep 14 The head coach of the Indian senior mens national team Khalid Jamil on Sunday announced a list of 30 probables for the October FIFA International Window One of the biggest names of Indian football Sunil Chhetri has been added to the squad after sitting out Indias campaign at the CAFA Nations Cup The preparatory camp will begin in Bengaluru on September 20 with the squad reporting to the city a day priorPlayers from Mohun Bagan SG and FC Goa who have been shortlisted for the probables squad will be called up later after their AFC Champions League Two engagements are overApart from these five players have been kept on standby two from the U23 mens national team and three senior players Their names will be announced at a later dateThe camp is aimed at helping the Blue Tigers prepare for their two AFC Asian Cup 2027 Qualifiers Final Round Group C fixtures where they will play two backtoback matches against Singapore on October 9 at the National Stadium Singapore and on October 14 at the Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium Margao The final squad for the matches against Singapore will be selected from the probablesThis will be Indias second assignment under Jamil India marked their debut appearance in the CAFA Nations Cup with a thirdplace finish defeating higherranked Oman 32 on penalties after the proceedings ended 11 post extra time at the Hisor Central Stadium in Hisor TajikistanIndia probablesGoalkeepers Amrinder Singh Gurmeet Singh Gurpreet Singh SandhuDefenders Anwar Ali Bikash Yumnam Chinglensana Singh Konsham Hmingthanmawia Ralte Muhammed Uvais Pramveer Rahul Bheke Ricky Meetei Haobam Roshan Singh NaoremMidfielders Ashique Kuruniyan Danish Farooq Bhat Jeakson Singh Thounaojam Jithin MS Macarton Louis Nickson Mahesh Singh Naorem Mohammed Aimen Nikhil Prabhu Suresh Singh Wangjam Vibin MohananForwards Irfan Yadwad Lallianzuala Chhangte Manvir Singh jr Mohammed Sanan K Muhammed Suhail Parthib Gogoi Sunil Chhetri Vikram Partap Singh IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/chhetri-returns-as-khalid-jamil-names-30-probables-for-asian-cup-qualifiers-638500.html Sun, 14 Sep 2025 17:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-carvalho-late-strike-helps-brentford-earn-2-2-draw-with-chelsea-638389.html Brentford Sep 14 Chelsea were denied a battling comefrombehind victory by Brentford as Fabio Carvalho came off the bench to score a stoppagetime equaliser in a thrilling 22 draw cancelling out excellent goals from Moises Caicedo and the returning Cole Palmer Chelsea looked set to take the points and move top of the Premier League standings for Saturday night after Moises Caicedo thundered in from the edge of the box in the 85th minuteCole Palmer making his return from injury had dragged his side level just after the hour cancelling out Kevin Schades 35thminute opener It was the Chelsea talismans first goal since a penalty against Liverpool in May and his first from open play since JanuaryKeith Andrews team came up with a leveller when substitute Carvalho bundled in from a long throwin in the third minute of stoppage timeCarvalhos late show means Chelsea now sit in fifth instead of first while Brentford are 12th with four points from their four gamesDelighted with the approach of the group the character we constantly show The equaliser came very late but its what I felt we deserved from the game in terms of the application the quality the players showed for large parts Inevitably theyre going to have periods where theyre on top but I felt we dealt with a lot of that really well tonight Brentford manager Andrews saidChelsea coach Maresca said Its a shame to concede late but it happens Probably we could manage that moment of the game better but in the end we concede and lose two pointsWe try to win every game but know we wont win every game Its a shame because we conceded so lateChelsea will put domestic matters briefly to one side as theor UEFA Champions League campaign begins with a mouthwatering trip to Bayern Munich on Wednesday eveningThe Blues then return to these domestic setup for another big away trip to Manchester United in the Premier League next Saturday IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/premier-league-carvalho-late-strike-helps-brentford-earn-2-2-draw-with-chelsea-638389.html Sun, 14 Sep 2025 10:17:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/pl-benjamin-sesko-in-line-to-make-first-man-utd-start-in-manchester-derby-638399.html New Delhi Sep 14 Ruben Amorim is considering handing Benjamin Sesko his first Premier League start in Sundays Manchester derby against City The centreforward joined from RB Leipzig during the transfer window and appeared off the bench in each of Manchester Uniteds three league games so farHe played the full match against Grimsby Town in the Carabao Cup and scored his penalty in the shootout but has been eased into action at his new clubAfter gaining more minutes for Slovenia during the international break he could be ready to make the XI and face the Blues at the Etihad StadiumI think more than looking at exactly what he did during the games it is what he can bring to our team Amorim said of Sesko during the press conferenceIf you see against Burnley he had some movements especially inside the box that we dont have with Josh Zirkzee Matheus Cunha and even with Rasmus Hojlund in the pastWe have a guy who likes to go inside the box to have a header he can run we need to use him more as a runner Hes going to improve You can feel that he feels the pace is different hes going to get used to that but maybe against City its a good moment to start the gameAmorim also opened up on how he is helping Kobbie Mainoo with reduced minuted as he believes the midfielder can improve a lotWith the talented young midfielder having started only once so far this season Ruben was questioned about his view on Mainoos ability potential and futureLike a lot of guys he wants to play more I believe a lot in Kobbie but some of you think that Kobbie Mainoo is already done I think he can do so much better He can improve in a lotAnd sometimes I think for some guys its the level hes playing at now enough For him its not enough Maybe its not fair but I think Im helping Kobbie Mainoo and thats it he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/pl-benjamin-sesko-in-line-to-make-first-man-utd-start-in-manchester-derby-638399.html Sun, 14 Sep 2025 11:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/they-punished-us-james-on-chelsea-conceding-late-equaliser-vs-brentford-638421.html New Delhi Sep 14 Reece James expressed his frustration at Chelseas failure to secure all three points after conceding a late equaliser in the 22 draw with Brentford at the Gtech Community Stadium After a stopstart first half that saw the Blues trail at the break secondhalf goals from Cole Palmer and Moises Caicedo turned the game in their favour heading into stoppage time But the hosts struck late to level leaving James frustrated that Chelsea had not claimed victory in west LondonWhile the skipper acknowledged the importance of extending their unbeaten Premier League run he felt his side deserved moreIts disappointing not to win We came here to win and we found ourselves a goal down and we adapted the way we played and got ourselves back into the game They are a strong team and they punished us Were not happy with drawing but well keep fighting Well have to accept the result and move forward said JamesThe fullback believes that a challenging opening half made it difficult for the Blues to take full control of the contestThere are many factors as to why the first half wasnt good enough Its a difficult place to come and were coming into games after an international break and thats always tough Its no excuse we have super high standards hereThey caught us on the counter in the first half and we were prepared for that but we didnt deal with it The second one is a setpiece where they are super strong and we didnt deal with it today he addedWith that noexcuse mindset James knows that the Blues will have to be better heading into Wednesdays Champions League contest against Bayern MunichWe came to win and we dropped points today We are disappointed but the game is done now Its time to focus on the next game he said IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/they-punished-us-james-on-chelsea-conceding-late-equaliser-vs-brentford-638421.html Sun, 14 Sep 2025 12:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/i-cant-change-what-people-think-about-me-bruno-fernandes-638214.html Manchester Sep 13 Manchester United skipper Bruno Fernandes believes he cant change how he is perceived by the public but does not think too much about it United will face local rivals Manchester City in the first Manchester Derby of the season on Sunday and the Portuguese maestro has the chance to mark the occasion with his 100th goal for the clubPeople have an opinion about me and I cant change that Thats the way people want to judge you about what they see on the pitch or the television or interviews I cant change that They have the freedom to think the way they want about me as I have the freedom to think about them I dont judge people until I know them They can have an opinion about me thats fine we all have an opinion and thats why life is so good and so different If we all think the same way it would be so boring said Bruno to BBC SportBruno will be hoping to continue their winning ways with United having secured their first win of the season against Burnley before the international break The skipper missed the chance to step up for the team in the draw vs Fulham after failing to convert his penalty but redeemed himself by scoring a 97th minute spotkick against BurnleyWhen asked on what is the hardest thing in football Bruno repliedBeing consistent I think During 90 minutes you have to be so consistent in everything you do Sometimes it slips away from you and it can change everythingSo I think consistency in the first thing consistent in doing whatever you think is the best for the team because that has to come first of everything and you cant do anything without thinking of the team first Thats true in football and its what has to come above everything because theres nothing more important than the team he added IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/i-cant-change-what-people-think-about-me-bruno-fernandes-638214.html Sat, 13 Sep 2025 11:55:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/leverkusen-claims-first-season-win-under-new-coach-638175.html New Delhi Sep 13 Bayer Leverkusen celebrated its first Bundesliga victory of the 202526 campaign with a 31 triumph over Eintracht Frankfurt handing new coach Kasper Hjulmand a perfect debut to kick off the third round on Friday Despite coming into the encounter with confidence after two opening wins Frankfurt found themselves behind early Alejandro Grimaldo opened the scoring in the 10th minute when his freekick from distance struck the post and bounced off goalkeeper Michael Zetterer into the net The early goal gave the hosts momentum even though both teams were forced into quick changes due to injuries as per Xinhua As the first half progressed Leverkusen began to dominate and their pressure paid off just before the break Nathan Tella was brought down in the box by Frankfurt captain Robin Koch allowing Patrik Schick to calmly convert the resulting penalty in stoppage time for a 20 halftime leadThe visitors responded swiftly after the restart In the 52nd minute youngster Can Uzun halved the deficit with a deflected effort which marked his third league goal in a row Encouraged Frankfurt pushed forward and struck the crossbar through Nnamdi Collins just moments later while Uzun narrowly missed the target with another chanceLeverkusens situation worsened in the 59th minute when captain Robert Andrich was dismissed for a second yellow card Reduced to ten men the hosts had to defend deeper but still threatened on the counterattackFrankfurt introduced fresh attacking options in the final stages but their efforts were repeatedly thwarted by Leverkusens disciplined backlineIn stoppage time things looked even more precarious for the Werkself as Exequiel Fernandez also received a second booking leaving them with nine men on the pitch Yet instead of collapsing Hjulmands side delivered the knockout punch Grimaldo stepped up once more in the 98th minute curling a freekick over the wall and into the net to secure a 31 victoryThe result ends Leverkusens shaky start which had seen them collect only one point from their first two outings and provides a morale boost under their new Danish coach For Frankfurt the defeat continues their winless run in Leverkusen stretching back to December 2013 IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/leverkusen-claims-first-season-win-under-new-coach-638175.html Sat, 13 Sep 2025 09:40:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/manchester-united-goalkeeper-makes-loan-move-to-trabzonspor-637990.html Manchester Sep 12 Manchester United goalkeeper Andre Onana has joined Trabzonspor on loan for the duration of the 202526 season subject to international clearance and registration The move has been completed ahead of the Turkish transfer window closing on FridayAn agreement has been with Manchester United regarding the free temporary transfer of professional footballer Andre Onana to our club for the 20252026 season said TrabzonsporThe 29yearold Cameroon international has made 102 appearances for the Reds since signing from Italian giants Inter in July 2023Onana featured in all but one game during his first campaign in Manchester and ended it an FA Cup winner following an excellent team performance against Manchester City in the final at WembleyHe continued to be first choice in the 202425 season and became the first keeper to win the Premier Leagues Save of the Month three timesOnana played 50 times in his second campaign and has now agreed a loan move to TrabzonsporThe goalkeeper made just one appearance for United so far this season which arrived in the defeat to League Two side Grimsby Town on penalties in the Carabao CupA hamstring injury prevented Onana from being involved with the team during preseason nd he made an error in his first game of the campaign as Uniteed suffered a humiliating Carabao Cup exit at GrimsbyOnanas United spell has been further punctuated after United sign Belgian goalkeeper Senne Lammens 23 on deadline day from Royal Antwerp in a deal worth an initial 21 million euros 181m plus addonsRuben Amorim side who will visit Manchester City in the Premier League on Sunday now has Lammens Altay Bayindir and Tom Heaton as his goalkeeping options IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/manchester-united-goalkeeper-makes-loan-move-to-trabzonspor-637990.html Fri, 12 Sep 2025 10:31:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/jack-grealish-named-pl-player-of-the-month-for-august-638075.html New Delhi Sep 12 Evertons Jack Grealish has been awarded the Premier Leagues Player of the Month for August The attacking midfielder who celebrated his 30th birthday earlier this week came out on top following a combination of a fan vote and votes from a panel of football experts He was presented his prize by Evertonian content creator Andy Castell at Finch Farm after beating competition from an eightman shortlist that included Riccardo Calafiori Hugo Ekitike Marc Guehi Erling Haaland Joao Pedro Antoine Semenyo and Dominik SzoboszlaiGrealish had a stunning debut month for Everton after joining on loan from Manchester City in the summer Grealish who turned 30 this week led the Premier League for assists in August with his total of four being double that of any other player in the competitionIndeed Grealishs four assists came in just two matches as he set up both goals as Everton beat Brighton amp Hove Albion 20 in their first match at Hill Dickinson Stadium before creating two more goals in Evertons following match a 32 victory at Wolverhampton Wanderers that put the Toffees fifth in the tableHe became the first Everton player to ever record multiple assists in consecutive Premier League matches while in Matchweek 4 when he plays at home against former club Aston Villa he has the chance to be the first player in Premier League history to assist two or more goals in three consecutive appearancesGrealish is the first Everton player to claim the Player of the Month prize since Dominic CalvertLewin in September 2020Everton head coach David Moyes summed up his sentiments regarding Grealishs outstanding performances in the two games by saying the English forward is even better than what he had expectedTheres a wee bit to prove Im sure I think we all have I think in life youve always got something you have to strive to do And I think Jack wants to show that hes a good player I think hes showing it at the momentI think some of his football has been really good The biggest compliment I could probably give him is hes better than I thought he was You know hes so good I think what Jack gives us is something just on the edge which hopefully its on the edge of creativeness and maybe scoring goals said Moyes IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/jack-grealish-named-pl-player-of-the-month-for-august-638075.html Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:20:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/i-want-to-focus-on-the-pitch-maresca-on-chelsea-facing-74-charges-638077.html London Sep 12 Chelsea head coach Enzo Maresca said he had nothing to add on the 74 charges that were brought against Chelsea by the Football Association FA The club had revealed that they were aware of the potential charges and had personally reported the incidents and are expecting to not face any sporting sanctions given their cooperation Maresca said he wants to focus on the pitch which he can control unlike the situation outside it I know from the club that they are satisfied about the process Personally I have nothing to add I have no idea to be honest I want to focus on the pitch something I can control The rest is not in my hands said MarescaThe FA has charged Chelsea FC with breaches of Regulations J1 and C2 of The FA Football Agents Regulations Regulations A2 and A3 of The FA Regulations on Working with Intermediaries and Regulations A1 and B3 of The FA Third Party Investment in Players RegulationsIn total 74 charges have been brought against Chelsea FC The charges range from between 2009 to 2022 and primarily relate to events which occurred between 201011 to 201516 playing seasonsDuring a thorough due diligence process prior to completion of the purchase the ownership group became aware of potentially incomplete financial reporting concerning historical transactions and other potential breaches of FA rules Immediately upon the completion of the purchase the club selfreported these matters to all relevant regulators including the FAThe club has demonstrated unprecedented transparency during this process including by giving comprehensive access to the clubs files and historical data read a statement by Chelsea as per BBC SportMaresca also confirmed a decision as to whether Cole Palmer is fit to face Brentford will be made after Fridays training session at CobhamAn issue sustained in the warmup to Chelseas victory over West Ham United ruled Palmer out of our win at the London Stadium The 23yearold was also absent as the Blues defeated Fulham before the international breakThe Blues head coach explained Cole took part in a session yesterday for the first time but not the entire session Today in the afternoon we have one more session and we are going to try with him and see if he is ok Otherwise he will be out tomorrow again IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/i-want-to-focus-on-the-pitch-maresca-on-chelsea-facing-74-charges-638077.html Fri, 12 Sep 2025 17:21:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/wolfsburg-signs-eriksen-on-free-transfer-637789.html Berlin Sep 11 VfL Wolfsburg have strengthened their midfield with the signing of Danish veteran Christian Eriksen the Bundesliga side announced on Wednesday evening The 33yearold joins on a free transfer after leaving Manchester United at the end of last season and has signed a twoyear deal and will wear the number 24 shirtFor Eriksen Wolfsburg represents his first experience in German football following spells in the Netherlands England and ItalyVfL Wolfsburg is my first club in the Bundesliga I am really looking forward to this new adventure the Danish playmaker saidThe conversations with the management were very positive and I could immediately sense head coach Paul Simoniss clear vision for the team Having several teammates from the national side here makes this step particularly attractive for meEriksen arrives in Lower Saxony with a wealth of international and club experience Denmarks record appearance holder with 144 caps and 46 goals he has played in over 100 Champions League and Europa League matches and featured more than 300 times in the Premier League for Tottenham Brentford and United He also lifted the Serie A title with Inter Milan before returning to England in 2022Wolfsburg sporting director Sebastian Schindzielorz hailed the midfielders arrival describing him as a leader who can make the difference on and off the pitch Schindzielorz added We deliberately invested in young talents this summer and Eriksen is the perfect complement to our captain Max Arnold His experience technical quality and personality will be invaluable especially for our younger playersThe move also reunites Eriksen with several compatriots In addition to CEO Peter Christiansen Wolfsburgs squad currently features five Denmark internationals Joakim Maehle Jesper Lindstrom Andreas Skov Olsen Adam Daghim and Jonas WindEriksens career has already been marked by a remarkable comeback At Euro 2020 he collapsed on the pitch due to a cardiac arrest but returned to toplevel football less than a year later Since then he has rebuilt his career with Brentford and Manchester United before taking on this new Bundesliga challengeThe midfielder could make his debut as early as this weekend when Wolfsburg hosts Cologne at the Volkswagen Arena IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/wolfsburg-signs-eriksen-on-free-transfer-637789.html Thu, 11 Sep 2025 16:29:00 +0530 https://dailyworld.in/football/india-is-a-country-i-really-want-to-visit-says-arsenal-defender-riccardo-calafiori-637925.html New Delhi Sep 11 Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori opened up about his life on and off the pitch offering insights into his mindset as a footballer while also sharing personal quirks passions and even his admiration for India Calafiori who has quickly endeared himself to Arsenal supporters with his energy and composure described what he considers his biggest strength I think one thing I can say is that Im positive and I try to bring energy on the pitch to help my teammates he said on JioHotstarThe Italian admitted that defending gives him a unique sense of satisfaction especially in the Premier League Every action is crucial When you win a duel its almost like scoring a goal and the fans recognise it Thats what I likeAsked to sum up the feeling of representing Arsenal Calafiori used just one word happinessAway from matchdays the 22yearold revealed he has plenty of pregame rituals though one constant is a particular health habit I have so many it changes with the periods But one constant is drinking beetroot juice he shared with a smileHe also spoke about his hobbies and favourites outside football saying he enjoys tennis and follows Italian player Flavio Cobolli closely To relax after games he prefers a hot bath Music he says depends on his mood I like many different types of music but Id say jazz or pop One Italian artist I enjoy is MannarinoWhen asked about his sense of style Calafiori described it as mixed retro and modern and jokingly declared himself a different level when it comes to hairstyle battles in the Arsenal dressing room though he gave credit to Viktor Gyokeres Noni Madueke and Martin Odegaard for having the best looksFinally the defender saved his warmest words for Arsenals Indian supporters I like spicy food so I enjoy Indian cuisine India has many different cultures and its really a country I want to visit Hopefully Ill meet you one day IANS https://dailyworld.in/football/india-is-a-country-i-really-want-to-visit-says-arsenal-defender-riccardo-calafiori-637925.html Thu, 11 Sep 2025 20:16:00 +0530