Lionel Messi's been red hot but Vancouver beat Inter Miami twice even before the Thomas Muller transfer; Could the Whitecaps defy expectations after their 3,407-mile trip to hunt the MLS Cup?
Lionel Messi-Thomas Müller MLS Cup Final Delivers Designated Dream
MLS has often struggled to capture the attention of global soccer fans during its first 30 years. But on Saturday, the league has a massive marketing opportunity to showcase itself through a championship game featuring two of the sport’s most decorated global players: Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi and Vancouver Whitecaps FC’s Thomas Müller. After Vancouver …
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal are showing the resilience of champions
In the past, moments like Chelsea’s shorthanded goal might have sent Arsenal reeling. No longer
The gap at the top is five points. Arsenal have now played two of their three toughest away games of the season. They’ve come through a potentially extremely tricky week with reputation enhanced, despite being without one of their starting centre-backs for all three games and both for one of them. If there is any sense of disappointment, it is only that they failed to beat Chelsea, whom they have become accustomed to getting the better of, despite having a man advantage from the 38th minute on Sunday.
But really there shouldn’t be any disappointment. Coming out of the international break, having conceded a late equaliser to Sunderland in their previous game, Arsenal looked potentially vulnerable. Despite having been by far the most impressive side this season, their lead over Manchester City was only four points. They were without Gabriel, who probably ranks alongside Declan Rice as their most important player. They faced Tottenham, Bayern and Chelsea over the course of eight days, and Manchester City appeared to be beginning to gather momentum.
Continue reading...Roma still dare to dream after remarkable 2025 despite Napoli setback | Nicky Bandini
No team in Serie A have collected more points this year, so the Giallorossi remain upbeat in a stacked title battle
Gian Piero Gasperini was a victim of mistaken identity last week, after an Italian news story about a man who allegedly impersonated his dead mother to collect her pension was picked up by media outlets around the world. Roma’s manager has no connection to any of this, yet one Argentinian broadcaster included an old photo of him in their coverage.
The segment for Telefe Noticias showed Gasperini’s face between those of the accused and the deceased. A silly meme, circulated by football fans on social media to imply some (dubious) resemblance, confused as being authentic. The online version of the video was quickly taken down from YouTube, but not before it created a fresh set of headlines back in Italy.
Continue reading...Premier League: 10 talking points from the weekend’s football
Ruben Amorim is happy to ‘steal’ from others, Phil Foden is central to City and Thomas Frank is in trouble at Tottenham
As Barney Ronay has noted, Arsenal are facing a weekly renewal of the Game You Just Have to Win If You Want to Be Champions. Did this represent a Game You Just Have to Win Because Chelsea’s Moisés Caicedo Was Sent Off? Yes and no. The hosts will naturally be more pleased with a point in the context of the first-half red card, while Arsenal perhaps looked a little jaded and below their best overall. But Enzo Maresca’s side were excellent throughout, despite having to play so much of the match with 10 men, and they deserved something from it. Compared with some Chelsea v Arsenal encounters from the olden days (when more overtly physical iterations of the Blues traditionally used to crush the fragile Gunners) there were no signs of weakness, mental or otherwise, from Arteta’s Premier League leaders in a fierce and physical derby. They will experience few harder tests than this, and a point was fair. Luke McLaughlin
Continue reading...Arsenal held by 10-man Chelsea in feisty draw after Moisés Caicedo gets VAR red
Arsenal would surely have taken a draw beforehand, against a Chelsea team that have emerged as surprise title rivals in recent weeks – and especially when they realised they had to play without William Saliba, who injured himself in training on Saturday.
It was a different story when, in the 38th minute, Chelsea were reduced to 10 men after Moisés Caicedo’s X-rated challenge on Mikel Merino. It was one of those that made you wince upon each replay, the stand-in Arsenal striker fortunate to emerge unscathed.
Continue reading...European football: ‘Utterly outrageous’ fireworks cause Ajax abandonment
Pyrotechnics in stands cause referee to call halt
Real Madrid’s Mbappé levels in 1-1 draw at Girona
Ajax have strongly criticised an “utterly outrageous” firework display that caused their Eredivisie match against Groningen at the Johan Cruyff Arena to be abandoned.
Referee Bas Nijhuis took the players off the field within five minutes of the start after fireworks and flares were ignited behind one of the goals, and the stadium filled with smoke.
Continue reading...Chelsea 1-1 Arsenal: Premier League – as it happened
Moises Caicedo was sent off for a nasty tackle on Mikel Merino, who later equalised after Trevoh Chalobah’s opening goal
5 min All a bit stop-start for now, with another stoppage when Rice is penalised for a foul on Caicedo.
Caicedo then shoves Merino (I think) out of his way off the ball.
Continue reading...West Ham United 0-2 Liverpool : Premier League – as it happened
Alexander Isak broke his Premier League duck as the fallen champions got back on track
Andy Flintoff gets in touch: “Looking at that Liverpool line-up, the two players with squad numbers >11 could so easily be switched with Endo & Salah with not a lot of positional changes required, which would leave it with a very retro looking 1-11.”
Arne Slot has been explaining his team selection to Sky Sports.
Continue reading...Mount’s sweet strike completes Manchester United’s comeback win at Crystal Palace
Just when Ruben Amorim must have thought his luck would never turn, Manchester United managed to inflict Crystal Palace’s first home defeat in the Premier League since February and end their own five-year wait for a victory at this ground after a first half when their opponents should have been out of sight.
Oliver Glasner’s side had been rampant and deservedly took the lead through Jean-Philippe Mateta’s retaken penalty but they could not make their dominance count. Having failed to score in four previous league meetings that included three defeats, like the proverbial London buses United struck back twice in nine minutes through Joshua Zirkzee – his first goal in the Premier League for almost a year – and Mason Mount to snatch the points.
Continue reading...Tadeo Allende hat-trick powers Messi and Inter Miami into MLS Cup final
Inter Miami ran away from NYC FC in 5-1 win
Miami will host MLS Cup against San Diego or Vancouver
Lionel Messi will play for another trophy. Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets clearly aren’t ready to begin their retirements, either.
Tadeo Allande scored three goals – Alba and Busquets, a pair of longtime Messi teammates who will retire when this season ends, had the assists on his first two – and Inter Miami topped New York City FC 5-1 on Saturday night for the Eastern Conference title and a berth in the MLS Cup final.
Continue reading...Inter Miami crushes NYCFC, 5-1, behind Tadeo Allende hat trick, advances to MLS Cup for first time
Inter Miami is headed to the MLS Cup for the first time in franchise history after a completely dominant postseason run.
Inter Miami vs. NYCFC live updates, score: Lineups, highlights, result as Lionel Messi and Co. battle for Eastern title
Inter Miami and NYCFC face off Saturday in the MLS Eastern Conference final in what looks like a classic mismatch.
Tottenham 1-2 Fulham: Premier League – as it happened
Fulham started fast, helped by a howler from Spurs keeper Guglielmo Vicario and a mutinous atmosphere among the home support, as the pressure on Thomas Frank intensified
55 seconds: No.
Fulham kick off. Earlier today, Phil Foden scored the fastest goal of the season after 59 seconds for Manchester City against Leeds … only for Newcastle’s Malick Thiaw to beat that mark by four seconds against Everton a couple of hours later. Something’s clearly in the air today, so can anyone better that here?
Continue reading...Everton 1-4 Newcastle: Premier League – as it happened
Malick Thiaw scored twice as Newcastle ended their run of away defeats with a crushing victory
A wicked inswinging corner from Lewis Miley is headed in from three yards by Malick Thiaw. It was a good header, steered decisively wide of Pickford, but the delivery from Miley was outstanding.
19 secs: Pickford denies Elanga! An early chance for newcastle. Woltemade sturns Keane expertly in the centre circle and slides a simple pass that allows Elanga to stretch his legs. He’s too quick for O’Brien and slides a slightly tame low shot that is pushed round the post by Pickford. No matter, because from the corner…
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