Football

Galatasaray's impressive performance in the Europa League continued on Thursday as they handed Tottenham their first defeat of the season with a 3-2 victory in Istanbul. The Turkish champions now sit atop the Group D standings with 10 points from four games, while Spurs find themselves in seventh place after losing their 100% record.Galatasaray took an early lead through Yunus Akgun's stunning long-range volley, but Tottenham responded quickly with a goal from teenage striker Will Lankshear. However, the home side regained control before halftime as Victor Osimhen scored twice in quick succession.Osimhen's first goal came just after the half-hour mark, and he doubled his tally with a clever volley from Dries Mertens' cross. The Nigerian star has now scored six goals in eight appearances for Galatasaray since joining on loan from Napoli.Galatasaray had several chances to extend their lead, but Spurs' hopes of a comeback were boosted when Lankshear was sent off for two yellow-card offenses in the second half. Dominic Solanke pulled one back for Tottenham in the 69th minute, but Galatasaray held on for a comfortable victory.In other Europa League action, Manchester United finally secured their first win in the competition with a 2-0 victory over PAOK Thessaloniki at Old Trafford. Amad Diallo scored both goals for the Red Devils, who had previously drawn their first three matches.Lazio remain the only team with a perfect record in Group F after Pedro scored an injury-time winner in a 2-1 success against Porto. Ajax sit in second place, two points behind Lazio, after thrashing Maccabi Tel Aviv 5-0.Eintracht Frankfurt clinched a 1-0 win against Slavia Prague thanks to Omar Marmoush's superb free-kick, while Athletic Bilbao came from behind to grab a 2-1 victory at Ludogorets. Roma's disappointing form continued as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Union Saint-Gilloise in Belgium.

Tottenham Hotspur stormed back from a first-half deficit to thrash Aston Villa 4-1 on Sunday, reigniting their hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League.After Morgan Rogers gave Villa the lead in the first period, Spurs exploded in the second half with a flurry of goals. Brennan Johnson equalized shortly after the break, setting the stage for Dominic Solanki's heroics.Solanki's delicate dinked finish in the 75th minute put Spurs ahead, and he doubled his tally four minutes later, converting substitute Richarlison's cross. James Maddison added the icing on the cake with a stunning free kick deep into stoppage time.The victory lifts Tottenham to seventh in the table, just two points behind Villa, who missed out on the chance to climb into third spot.Villa, who wore training tops reading "Fuerza Valencia" in solidarity with the victims of the deadly floods in Spain, started brightly but failed to capitalize on their early chances.Spurs, despite the return of captain Son Heung-min from injury, struggled to create clear-cut opportunities in the first half. However, they came out firing after the break, with Johnson's equalizer setting the tone for a dominant second-half performance.Solanki's goals were the result of Tottenham's increased intensity and attacking prowess. The England international showed great composure and skill to put Spurs ahead and then seal the victory.Villa, who had been in good form under Unai Emery, were unable to match Tottenham's second-half surge. They failed to create any real chances and were punished for their defensive lapses.The result is a major boost for Tottenham's top-four hopes. They are now just two points behind Villa and have a game in hand. Villa, on the other hand, will be disappointed to have missed out on the chance to move into the top three.

Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce held his former club Manchester United to a 1-1 draw in the Europa League on Thursday, October 24, 2024. Mourinho received a red card in the second half, but his team managed to secure a point against a superior United squad.Erik ten Hag's United took an early lead through Christian Eriksen's 15th-minute goal. However, Fenerbahce equalized in the 49th minute when Youssef En-Nesyri headed home from close range after a cross from Allan Saint-Maximin.Mourinho was sent off after his team was denied a penalty in the second half. The Portuguese manager expressed his frustration with the referee's decision, stating that his players had performed admirably despite facing a stronger opponent."My boys played an amazing match," Mourinho told TNT Sports. "We played against a team that is at a superior level to us. We finished the game with a center-back playing at right-back and a right-back at left-back. We had to do a crazy puzzle, but our performance was extraordinary, and I couldn't ask for anything more from the players."Mourinho led United to the Europa League title in 2017 during his 2½ years at Old Trafford. He took the Fenerbahce job in the past offseason.Elsewhere in the Europa League, Richarlison scored a 53rd-minute penalty for Tottenham to beat Alkmaar 1-0. Tottenham's Son Heung-min sat out the match due to a minor injury.Anderlecht and Lazio stayed perfect with 2-0 victories, with both opponents reduced to 10 men. Anderlecht beat Ludogorets at home after Caio Vidal was sent off. Lazio took home three points from Twente when goalkeeper Lars Unnerstall was sent off in the 11th minute.Porto's Samu scored his fourth goal of the campaign, and Tiago Djaló added another one for Porto to beat Hoffenheim 2-0 for the Portuguese club's first win of the campaign.Václav Černý scored two goals to lead Rangers to a 4-0 rout of FCSB, while Lyon was upset 1-0 at home by Besiktas.Roma needed a penalty to beat Dynamo Kyiv 1-0 for its first Europa League victory under new coach Ivan Jurić. Summer signing Artem Dovbyk converted from the spot in the 23rd minute to get the Italian team in the win column after a draw and a loss in the second-tier competition.Ajax beat Qarabag 3-0 in Baku after the home team was reduced to 10 men in the 15th minute when midfielder Júlio Romão received a straight red card. Kenneth Taylor scored some 20 minutes later. In the second half, Wout Weghorst converted a penalty, and substitute Chuba Akpom put the result beyond doubt in the 77th. Two minutes later, Qarabag went down to nine men when Elvin Jafarguliyev also saw a red card.Eintracht Frankfurt, the 2022 Europa League winner, got a late goal from substitute Hugo Larsson to edge Latvia's RFS 1-0. PAOK came from two goals down to salvage a 2-2 draw with Czech side Viktoria Plzen in Thessaloniki. Real Sociedad earned its first win, 2-1 away to Maccabi Tel-Aviv in a game played in Belgrade, Serbia due to the regional conflict.In the Conference League, Chelsea routed Panathinaikos 4-1 in Athens to make it two wins from two. João Félix scored twice, with the first one set up by Mykhailo Mudryk in the 22nd minute. The visitors added three more in the first 14 minutes of the second half through Mudryk, Felix's second, and Christopher Nkunku's penalty. Facundo Pellistri netted for Panathinaikos in the 69th.Jonathan Ikoné's two goals led Fiorentina past St. Gallen 4-2 in Switzerland, and Real Betis played 1-1 with Copenhagen. Iceland's Vikingur beat Belgium's Cercle Brugge 3-1 to record its first victory in Europe.

Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur, two of the Premier League's most storied clubs, will clash at Old Trafford on Sunday, September 29, in a highly anticipated match. Both teams have had mixed starts to the season, with United sitting in 11th place with 7 points and Tottenham in 10th with the same number of points.United's recent form has been inconsistent, with a 1-1 draw against FC Twente in the Europa League followed by a 2-1 victory over Sheriff Tiraspol. Tottenham, on the other hand, have shown more promise, winning their Europa League opener 3-0 against Qarabag FK.The match will be a test of both teams' attacking prowess. United have struggled to find the back of the net consistently, with only 6 goals in their first 5 Premier League matches. Tottenham, meanwhile, have been more prolific, scoring 9 goals in the same period.Key players to watch in this match include Cristiano Ronaldo for United and Harry Kane for Tottenham. Ronaldo has scored 3 goals in the Premier League this season, while Kane has netted 4. Both players will be looking to add to their tallies and lead their teams to victory.The match is expected to be a close and competitive affair, with both teams desperate for a win to improve their league standings. United will be looking to bounce back from their disappointing draw in the Europa League, while Tottenham will be aiming to continue their winning ways.

Tottenham Hotspur kicked off their Europa League campaign with a resounding 3-0 victory over Qarabag FK, despite playing with 10 men for the majority of the match. However, the triumph was marred by an injury scare involving star forward Son Heung-min.Radu Dragusin's early dismissal for a reckless challenge on Juninho left Tottenham shorthanded, but Ange Postecoglou's side remained unfazed. Brennan Johnson opened the scoring in the 12th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by Qarabag.Pape Sarr doubled Tottenham's lead in the 52nd minute with a clinical volley, and Dominic Solanke sealed the victory in the 68th minute. Qarabag had a chance to pull one back from the penalty spot, but Toral Bayramov's effort sailed over the bar.Despite the comfortable win, Postecoglou expressed concern over Son's injury, which forced the South Korean off in the 70th minute. "He said he was a bit tired, but I haven't spoken to him or the medical staff yet," Postecoglou said.The Europa League could provide Tottenham with a path to silverware this season, as Postecoglou aims to end the club's trophy drought dating back to 2008. However, sterner tests await the north Londoners, who will need to maintain their composure and resilience in the face of adversity.Meanwhile, Roma's Europa League campaign got off to a disappointing start with a 1-1 draw against Athletic Bilbao. Artem Dovbyk gave Roma the lead in the first half, but Aitor Paredes' late equalizer denied the Italian side a victory.Jose Mourinho's Fenerbahce enjoyed a 2-1 win over Union Saint-Gilloise, with Caglar Soyuncu and Christian Burgess scoring the goals. Ajax thrashed Besiktas 4-0, while Olympiakos suffered a 2-0 defeat at Lyon. Rangers secured a 2-0 victory at Malmo.

Arsenal emerged victorious in the highly anticipated North London derby, defeating Tottenham 1-0 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium. Despite missing key midfielders Declan Rice and Martin Odegaard, the Gunners displayed resilience and determination to secure their third consecutive win in the Premier League.Mikel Arteta's side faced a spirited Tottenham team in the early stages, with David Raya making crucial saves to deny Dejan Kulusevski and Dominic Solanke. However, Arsenal gradually gained momentum and threatened through Kai Havertz and Martinelli.The match took a heated turn as tackles flew in and tensions escalated. Seven players were booked in the first half, including five from Tottenham. The physicality of the derby was evident, but Arsenal remained composed and focused.In the 64th minute, Arsenal's set-piece prowess proved decisive. Bukayo Saka's corner found Gabriel Magalhaes, who outmuscled Cristian Romero and headed the ball past Guglielmo Vicario. The goal silenced the Tottenham crowd and gave Arsenal a crucial advantage.Tottenham pushed for an equalizer in the closing stages, but Arsenal's defense held firm. Kulusevski came close with a shot that sailed just over the crossbar, but the Gunners ultimately secured a hard-fought victory.The win extends Arsenal's unbeaten start to the season and keeps them within striking distance of league leaders Manchester City. It also marks their third consecutive victory at Tottenham, a testament to their dominance in the North London derby.

Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Rodrigo Bentancur has been charged by the Football Association (FA) for an alleged misconduct breach related to a comment he made about teammate Son Heung-min on Uruguayan television.During an interview on Canal 10 in June, Bentancur was asked for a Spurs player's shirt. He responded by saying, "Sonny's? It could be Sonny's cousin too as they all look the same."The comment sparked outrage, with British anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out receiving a "significant number" of complaints. Bentancur subsequently apologized to Son and Spurs skipper Hugo Lloris, acknowledging that he had "made a mistake."The FA has now charged Bentancur with an alleged breach of its rules in relation to a media interview. The statement from the FA reads:"It's alleged that the Tottenham midfielder has breached FA Rule E3.1 as he acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or brought the game into disrepute."It's further alleged that this constitutes an 'aggravated breach' which is defined in FA Rule E3.2, as it included a reference, whether express or implied, to nationality and/or race and/or ethnic origin."Bentancur has until September 19 to respond to the charge. The FA's investigation comes amid a wider crackdown on racism and discrimination in football. In 2020, former Manchester United striker Edinson Cavani was banned for three games and fined £100,000 for using the Spanish term "negrito" (small black person) in a social media post.The FA's decision to charge Bentancur sends a clear message that it will not tolerate any form of discrimination or abuse in the game. It remains to be seen how the case will be resolved, but it is likely that Bentancur will face a significant punishment if found guilty.

Chelsea's inconsistent start to the season continued with a frustrating 1-1 draw against Crystal Palace, while Newcastle United secured a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur on Sunday.Enzo Maresca's Chelsea, despite a significant summer overhaul, have managed only one win in their first three league matches. After a disappointing loss to Manchester City in the opening weekend, Chelsea bounced back with a 6-2 triumph at Wolves. However, their UEFA Conference League campaign began with a 2-1 defeat to Servette on Thursday.Despite the inconsistent results, Maresca remains confident in his team's progress. The arrival of Jadon Sancho from Manchester United was the final piece in Chelsea's summer rebuild, and the winger was introduced to the crowd before the Palace match.Chelsea took the lead in the 25th minute when Nicolas Jackson converted a pass from Cole Palmer. However, Palace refused to be disheartened and equalized in the 53rd minute through a superb curling finish from Eberechi Eze.At St James' Park, Newcastle took the lead in spectacular fashion when Harvey Barnes unleashed a sublime volley into the far corner. Tottenham equalized through an own goal by Dan Burn, but Newcastle regained the lead in the 78th minute when Alexander Isak tapped in a pass from Joelinton.Newcastle's second win in three league games condemned Tottenham to their first defeat of the season. The north London derby against Arsenal awaits Tottenham after the international break.Meanwhile, Liverpool will travel to Old Trafford for a highly anticipated clash with Manchester United on Sunday. Reds boss Arne Slot will experience his first taste of the bitter rivalry with United, while Erik ten Hag faces pressure after United's defeat at Brighton last weekend.

James Maddison's hopes of representing England at Euro 2024 have been dashed after he was reportedly omitted from Gareth Southgate's final 26-man squad. The Tottenham attacking midfielder had been part of Southgate's 33-man training group but has failed to make the cut for the tournament in Germany, according to British media outlets BBC and Sky Sports.Maddison's exclusion comes as a surprise given his impressive start to the Premier League season with Spurs. However, his form has dipped in recent months, and he faces stiff competition for places in England's star-studded attacking lineup.The 27-year-old has won seven caps for his country but has struggled to establish himself as a regular in Southgate's plans. With England boasting a wealth of attacking options, Maddison has found it difficult to break into the starting XI.Maddison's omission from the squad is a blow to his personal ambitions and to Tottenham, who were hoping to see their player represent England at a major tournament. However, Southgate's decision is ultimately based on his assessment of the players who give England the best chance of success at Euro 2024.England face Iceland in their final pre-tournament friendly at Wembley on Friday before Southgate announces his final 26-man selection on Saturday. The Three Lions are among the favorites for the tournament and will be hoping to make a deep run in Germany.