Conceição scores in stoppage time to get Portugal off to winning start at Euro 2024

Conceição scores in stoppage time to get Portugal off to winning start at Euro 2024
Portugal's Francisco Conceicao, centre, scores his side's second goal during a Group F match between Portugal and Czech Republic at the Euro 2024 soccer tournament in Leipzig, Germany, Tuesday, June 18, 2024. (AP)
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Updated 19 June 2024
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Conceição scores in stoppage time to get Portugal off to winning start at Euro 2024

Conceição scores in stoppage time to get Portugal off to winning start at Euro 2024
  • Conceição, who only made his entrance in the 90th minute, fired the ball home in the 92nd after Robin Hranac’s attempted block of Pedro Neto’s shot fell kindly for the Porto winger to shoot inside the left post

LEIPZIG, Germany: Portugal substitute Francisco Conceição scored in stoppage time for a 2-1 win over the Czech Republic in their European Championship opening game on Tuesday.
Conceição, who only made his entrance in the 90th minute, fired the ball home in the 92nd after Robin Hranac’s attempted block of Pedro Neto’s shot fell kindly for the Porto winger to shoot inside the left post.
Conceição wheeled away in delight and was booked for taking off his jersey.
It comes almost 24 years to the day since Conceição’s father, Sérgio Conceição, scored a hat trick to knock defending champion Germany out of Euro 2000.
Czech Republic goalkeeper Jindrich Stanek had thwarted Cristiano Ronaldo as the Portugal star became the first to play at six European Championship tournaments. The 39-year-old Ronaldo was unable to add to his record 14 goals in his record-extending 26th appearance at the tournament.
Portugal’s 41-year-old defender Pepe became the oldest player to play at the tournament, though he had little to do as the 2016 champions dominated ball possession and chances.
It came as a shock when Lukas Provod broke the deadlock at the other end with a fierce strike inside the far post after Vladimir Coufal laid the ball back in the 62nd minute.
Portugal drew level in the 70th when Stanek’s save of Nuno Mendes’ header rebounded off Hranac’s shin and in.
Turkiye defeated tournament debutant Georgia 3-1 in the other Group F game earlier.


Salah scores, sets up equalizer as Liverpool draw 2-2 at Villa to lead Premier League by 8 points

Salah scores, sets up equalizer as Liverpool draw 2-2 at Villa to lead Premier League by 8 points
Updated 20 February 2025
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Salah scores, sets up equalizer as Liverpool draw 2-2 at Villa to lead Premier League by 8 points

Salah scores, sets up equalizer as Liverpool draw 2-2 at Villa to lead Premier League by 8 points
  • Liverpool have now played a game more than second-place Arsenal, who appear to be the only other realistic challenger for the title
  • Liverpool are seeking a 20th top-flight championship to tie the record of Manchester United

LONDON: Mohamed Salah scored one goal and set up the equalizer by Trent Alexander-Arnold in Liverpool’s 2-2 draw at Aston Villa that stretched their lead in the Premier League to eight points on Wednesday.

Salah tucked away with his league-leading 24th goal of the campaign to put Liverpool ahead at Villa Park in the 29th minute, only for the leaders to fall behind by halftime following a volley by Youri Tielemans and a header from Ollie Watkins.

Alexander-Arnold ran onto an inside pass from Salah and drove in a shot that deflected past Villa goalkeeper Emi Martinez in the 61st as Liverpool salvaged a point from an end-to-end game, avoiding what would have been just a second league defeat of the season.

It remains to be seen whether this was a good point for Liverpool in one of the toughest away fixtures in the league or two more dropped points, a week after a 2-2 draw at local rival Everton.

“We desired more,” Liverpool manager Arne Slot said, “and that is the only thing we can blame ourselves for a few times now — we did not get what we deserved. We must not make a habit of that.”

Liverpool have now played a game more than second-place Arsenal, who appear to be the only other realistic challenger for the title, and have another tough away game on Sunday at Manchester City.

Arsenal play first out of the top two at the weekend — at home to West Ham on Saturday — and have the chance to trim the lead to five points before Liverpool meet City.

Liverpool are seeking a 20th top-flight championship to tie the record of Manchester United.

Salah is spearheading Liverpool’s title charge. Not only is the Egypt forward the league’s top scorer, with five more than nearest challenger Erling Haaland of Manchester City, he has more assists than anyone else with 15.

Should Arsenal wind up reeling in Liverpool, the Reds may regret a big miss from Darwin Nunez after the Uruguay striker came on as a substitute. Dominik Szoboszlai ran through a squared the ball to Nunez, who had an open goal at which to aim with a left-footed shot.

Nunez blazed the finish high and wide, with Slot on the touchline barely believing what he had seen.

Villa then had chances to win it, with Morgan Rogers shooting over when well-placed and substitute Donyell Malen driving a low shot just wide with one of the last kicks of the game.

“We had some good chances to make it 3-2 and then we could even have lost it,” Slot said. “It was a great game but I am not happy with the result.”

Villa, who have lost just once at home all season in the league, stayed in ninth place and are four points off fifth. A fifth-place finish looks set to be enough to qualify for next season’s Champions League.


Mbappe hat-trick as Real Madrid knock Man City out of Champions League

Mbappe hat-trick as Real Madrid knock Man City out of Champions League
Updated 20 February 2025
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Mbappe hat-trick as Real Madrid knock Man City out of Champions League

Mbappe hat-trick as Real Madrid knock Man City out of Champions League

MADRID: Kylian Mbappe struck a brilliant hat-trick for Champions League holders Real Madrid in a 3-1 win over Manchester City on Wednesday, helping Los Blancos reach the last 16 with a 6-3 aggregate victory.
Pep Guardiola’s side, shorn of key striker Erling Haaland, suffered a painful early exit without laying a glove on the completely dominant 15-time record winners in the Spanish capital, until Nico Gonzalez tapped home in stoppage time.
French superstar Mbappe broke the deadlock with a lob in the fourth minute and netted a fine second after combining with his attacking partners as the English side were sliced open.
The striker, in sensational form after a slow start to life at Madrid, completed his treble in the second half with a low strike from the edge of the box to reach seven goals in the competition this season in 10 appearances.
City, who won the competition in 2023, were a far cry from their best as has been the case for much of their campaign.
Guardiola was dealt bad news before the game with Haaland, who netted twice in the first leg, named on the bench after a suffering a knock at the weekend against Newcastle.
By contrast Real Madrid welcomed Antonio Rudiger back from injury and he slotted seamlessly into defense, with Aurelien Tchouameni restored to his preferred midfield slot.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side performed almost flawlessly in the first half and took the lead in the opening stages.
Mbappe shrugged off Ruben Dias and lofted the ball over City goalkeeper Ederson after young center-back Raul Asencio played him in with a long pass.
John Stones limped off for the visitors a few minutes later in another blow for the Premier League champions.
Fede Valverde had a shot deflected narrowly wide and Ederson saved from Mbappe after Tchouameni sent him dashing in on goal with another ball over the top.
Mbappe netted his second in the 33rd minute after Madrid’s “fantastic four” star players combined. Jude Bellingham fed Vinicius who rolled the ball across for Rodrygo, who nudged it to Mbappe.
The former Paris Saint-Germain forward moved inside to leave the flailing Josko Gvardiol sliding in the wrong direction and drilled home at the near post.
Guardiola had claimed City only had “one percent chance” of beating Madrid and his team played like they believed him.
Madrid’s only blot on their copybook was a booking for Bellingham for fouling England team-mate Phil Foden, leaving him suspended for the last 16 first leg.
Bellingham, who caused a stir afer being sent off for dissent last weekend in La Liga, was assured in midfield but the night belonged to Mbappe.
The 26-year-old completed his hat-trick with a superb individual goal just after the hour mark, opening up some space on the edge of the box and firing beyond Ederson as City’s defense stood off.
Mbappe departed to a standing ovation and Madrid continued to create chances in his absence but could not take them, as the home fans marvelled at the ease of their team’s victory, against an opponent with whom they have shared many close battles in the past decade.
The visitors pulled a goal back in stoppage time when Omar Marmoush crashed a free-kick against the crossbar and Gonzalez rolled home the rebound, but it offered scant consolation.
City have now lost 13 games in their last 26 across all competitions, and face Premier League leaders Liverpool next on Sunday, with a battle to finish in the top four on their hands.
Madrid, by contrast, are still in the running for three major competitions and with Mbappe in such sensational form, believe they can win all of them.
Next up in the last 16 is a clash with either city rivals Atletico or German champions Bayer Leverkusen.


PSG hit seven to set up Champions League clash with Liverpool or Barcelona

PSG hit seven to set up Champions League clash with Liverpool or Barcelona
Updated 20 February 2025
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PSG hit seven to set up Champions League clash with Liverpool or Barcelona

PSG hit seven to set up Champions League clash with Liverpool or Barcelona
  • PSG scored just three goals in their first five Champions League matches this season, but have found the net 21 times in five outings since then

PARIS: Paris Saint-Germain can look forward to a showdown with either Liverpool or Barcelona in the last 16 of the Champions League after mercilessly crushing French rivals Brest 7-0 on Wednesday to win their play-off round tie 10-0 on aggregate.
PSG were always overwhelming favorites to beat Brest and effectively killed off the tie with a 3-0 win in Brittany in the first leg last week.
There were seven different goal-scorers in the return at the Parc des Princes, with Bradley Barcola, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, Vitinha, Desire Doue, Nuno Mendes, Goncalo Ramos and Senny Mayulu netting for the home side.
It is PSG’s record winning margin in a European game and the first time they have scored seven in the Champions League since they trounced Celtic 7-1 in November 2017.
PSG scored just three goals in their first five Champions League matches this season, but have found the net 21 times in five outings since then.
Their dominant display here came despite Ousmane Dembele failing to add to the 18 goals he had netted in his previous 12 appearances for Luis Enrique’s side.
It was an agonizing way for Brest to end their first-ever European campaign, after they made it to the knockout stages following a historic third-place finish in Ligue 1 last season.
Being drawn against PSG was an anti-climax for Brest. They have not beaten the Parisians in 40 years and have now lost 19 of the last 20 meetings of the clubs.
Brest did almost take the lead early on as a Mathias Pereira Lage shot was blocked in front of the line by Marquinhos, before PSG struck in the 20th minute.
Barcola, on the left, controlled a Fabian Ruiz ball over the top before beating goalkeeper Gregoire Coudert at the near post for his 16th goal of the season.
Kvaratskhelia made it 2-0 six minutes before the break, turning in his second goal for his new club after Barcola had flicked on a low Joao Neves cross.
Neves smashed a shot against the crossbar in first-half stoppage time and Pierre Lees-Melou then hit the post for Brest early in the second half.
However, a lovely strike from the edge of the area by Vitinha made it 3-0 just before the hour mark, and Ramos then produced a delightful piece of skill to tee up fellow substitute Doue for the fourth.
Achraf Hakimi set up Mendes to tap in the fifth midway through the second half and Ramos made it six from close range on 76 minutes with his ninth goal of the campaign.
Abdallah Sima had a goal for Brest disallowed for offside before Kvaratskhelia teed up 18-year-old Mayulu to round out the scoring on 86 minutes.
PSG will find out the identity of their next opponents when the draw for the remainder of the competition is made on Friday.


Dortmund ease into Champions League last 16 after Sporting stalemate

Dortmund ease into Champions League last 16 after Sporting stalemate
Updated 20 February 2025
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Dortmund ease into Champions League last 16 after Sporting stalemate

Dortmund ease into Champions League last 16 after Sporting stalemate
  • Serhou Guirassy missed a second-half penalty
  • Dortmund dominated much of the return leg on a freezing night in Germany

DORTMUND: Borussia Dortmund cruised into the last 16 of the Champions League after a goalless draw with Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday sealed a 3-0 aggregate victory.
Serhou Guirassy missed a second-half penalty but it mattered for nothing in the end as last season’s finalists were rarely troubled by Sporting and coasted through.
Dortmund’s reward is a last 16 game against Aston Villa or Lille.
It was always a tough ask for this young Sporting side ravaged by injury to overturn the damage done in last week’s first leg, when Guirassy, Pascal Gross and Karim Adeyemi all scored.
Dortmund dominated much of the return leg on a freezing night in Germany, with Marcel Sabitzer coming closest to breaking the deadlock with a rasping drive from distance that Sporting goalkeeper Rui Silva did well to palm around his post.
After the break, Dortmund got the chance to put the tie to bed from the spot when Silva was adjudged to have brought down Adeyemi in the box after Nico Schlotterbeck’s long pass split the visitors’ defense.
But Guirassy’s well-hit penalty was saved superbly by the Portuguese goalkeeper low to his right, denying the Guinean striker an 11th Champions League goal in 10 games this season.
Gio Reyna came off the bench and almost made an immediate impact against the Portuguese league leaders, hitting the post, but this was a night when Dortmund created little and Sporting even less, with the visitors failing to register a single shot on target.
Ultimately, Sporting lacked the ambition to turn around the tie, allowing Niko Kovac’s side to progress on the back of a relatively easy night’s work.


Bayern’s Kane says injury could keep him out against Frankfurt

Bayern’s Kane says injury could keep him out against Frankfurt
Updated 19 February 2025
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Bayern’s Kane says injury could keep him out against Frankfurt

Bayern’s Kane says injury could keep him out against Frankfurt
  • Kane hit the bar in an otherwise quiet 45 minutes against the Scottish side
  • He later told reporters that he had suffered a calf problem

PARIS: Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane said he was likely to miss Sunday’s Bundesliga game at home to Eintracht Frankfurt after he was replaced at half time in Bayern’s 3-2 aggregate Champions League victory over Celtic.
Kane hit the bar in an otherwise quiet 45 minutes against the Scottish side. He later told reporters that he had suffered a calf problem.
“We’ll have a scan tonight and then we’ll see. I’m not sure if I can play against Frankfurt on Sunday,” he told reporters at the Allianz Arena.
Kane also said that a jaw injury he suffered in a collision against Bayer Leverkusen last Saturday was still troubling him.
Bayern Munich’s Sporting Director Max Eberl also confirmed that an ankle issue had been affecting the England captain’s mobility in the first half against Celtic.
When asked about Kane’s injury problems, Vincent Kompany said that he couldn’t say at this moment how long Kane will be out for.
However, Kane reassured reporters that he is “OK.”