Football

Barcelona's unbeaten run in La Liga came to an abrupt end on Sunday as they suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat at Real Sociedad. The Catalan giants were denied an early lead when Robert Lewandowski's goal was controversially ruled out for offside, sparking a heated debate over the accuracy of the semi-automated offside technology.Despite dominating possession, Barcelona struggled to create clear-cut chances and failed to register a single shot on target. Real Sociedad, on the other hand, made the most of their opportunities, with Sheraldo Becker scoring the only goal of the match in the 33rd minute.The absence of teenage sensation Lamine Yamal was keenly felt by Barcelona, who lacked his spark and creativity in the final third. Dani Olmo, who started on the bench, failed to make an impact when he came on in the second half.Barcelona's defeat leaves them six points clear of second-placed Real Madrid, who have played one game less. However, the loss raises questions about the team's ability to maintain their impressive form throughout the season.Real Sociedad, meanwhile, celebrated a famous victory that moved them up to eighth in the standings. The Basque side showed great resilience and determination to hold off Barcelona's attacking threats.

Manchester City's relentless pursuit of a fifth consecutive Premier League title reached new heights on Sunday as they snatched a dramatic 2-1 victory at Wolves. The champions' last-gasp goal, courtesy of John Stones, sparked controversy but ultimately sent them to the summit of the league standings.Wolves stunned City early on when Jorgen Strand Larsen capitalized on a defensive lapse to give the hosts a surprise lead. However, City's resilience shone through as Josko Gvardiol equalized with a stunning curler before halftime.As the match entered its dying moments, Stones emerged as the unlikely hero. His headed goal from a corner was initially disallowed for offside, but a VAR review overturned the decision, sending Guardiola and his players into raptures.Wolves protested vehemently, claiming that Bernardo Silva had interfered with goalkeeper Jose Sa's view and obstructed his ability to make a save. However, referee Chris Kavanagh stood by his decision after consulting the pitchside monitor.City's victory extended their unbeaten run in the league to 31 games, a new club record. They are now two points clear of Liverpool, who have a chance to reclaim top spot later on Sunday.Guardiola's men have set a blistering pace this season, winning six of their eight league matches. Their only blemish came in a 1-0 defeat to Liverpool in the Community Shield.Despite the absence of Erling Haaland's usual goalscoring exploits, City's attacking prowess was evident throughout the match. They created numerous chances but were often thwarted by Wolves' resolute defense.In the end, it was Stones' late intervention that secured the three points for City. The defender's goal was a testament to the champions' never-say-die attitude and their ability to grind out results even when not at their best.

In a stunning upset at the European Championship, Slovakia stunned Belgium 1-0 on June 17, 2023, in a match marred by two disallowed Romelu Lukaku goals.Slovakia struck early, with Ivan Schranz scoring in the seventh minute after a defensive error by Belgium's Jérémy Doku. Despite Belgium's dominance in possession, they struggled to break down Slovakia's resolute defense, which featured two 37-year-old outfield players.Lukaku, Belgium's record scorer, had two goals ruled out by video review. His first was overturned for offside, while the second was deemed to have been handled by Loïs Openda before his pass to Lukaku.Belgium's frustration was compounded by a brave goal-line block from Slovakia's Dávid Hancko, who left the field with a face injury after colliding with a teammate's knee.Slovakia's victory was their first in the European Championship finals and a triumph for their Italian coach, Francesco Calzona. The win also preserved the record of two 37-year-olds starting a match in the tournament, which could be broken if Portugal selects Cristiano Ronaldo and Pepe on Tuesday.Belgium, who had won 14 consecutive qualifying matches under Domenico Tedesco, suffered their first loss in 15 games. They now face Romania on Saturday, while Slovakia will take on Ukraine on Friday.

Mauricio Pochettino's Chelsea were denied a dramatic late victory at Aston Villa on Saturday, as a controversial VAR decision disallowed a goal that would have sealed a 3-2 win. The Blues had fought back from two goals down to earn a hard-fought point, but Pochettino was left furious by the intervention of the video assistant referee.Villa took an early lead through an own goal from Marc Cucurella, and Morgan Rogers doubled their advantage before half-time. Chelsea responded with goals from Noni Madueke and Conor Gallagher, but their hopes of a comeback were dashed when Axel Disasi's effort was ruled out for a foul by Benoit Badiashile.Pochettino was incensed by the decision, claiming that it had "damaged English football." He said: "The referee is unbelievable and it's ridiculous. It is difficult to accept. They didn't see a foul on the pitch and then VAR changed the decision of the referee. For me that was a normal challenge."It is painful as it has damaged English football. Villa's players and their fans didn't understand why the goal was disallowed. For me it damaged a little bit the Premier League. If we want to be the best league in the world it should be protecting the spectacle and the decision."The draw was a blow to Villa's hopes of qualifying for the Champions League, but they remain seven points clear of fifth-placed Tottenham, who have three games in hand. Unai Emery's side will be hoping to avoid a repeat of last season, when they missed out on a top-four finish on the final day.Chelsea, meanwhile, remain ninth in the table, but Pochettino insists that he has the backing of his squad. The Blues have spent over £1 billion on new players since Todd Boehly's takeover, and Pochettino will be under pressure to deliver results in the coming months.