Football

Borussia Dortmund's triumph over Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League semi-finals has sent shockwaves through the football world. The German club's 2-0 aggregate victory was sealed by Mats Hummels' header in the second leg at the Parc des Princes, sending Dortmund to the final at Wembley Stadium on June 1.Kylian Mbappé, PSG's star forward, was a notable absentee from the celebrations. The French international, who is widely expected to join Real Madrid at the end of the season, cut a dejected figure as he left the field for the final time in a PSG jersey in the Champions League.Dortmund's victory was a testament to their defensive resilience and tactical discipline. They contained Mbappé and Ousmane Dembélé effectively, limiting their attacking threat. Emre Can's presence in midfield provided a solid shield for the defense, while Karim Adeyemi's pace on the counter-attack caused PSG problems.PSG, despite their star-studded lineup, lacked the efficiency and composure to break down Dortmund's defense. They hit the woodwork three times, including a glaring miss from Warren Zaïre-Emery from close range. Gianluigi Donnarumma's failure to claim Hummels' header from a corner proved costly.Dortmund's victory is a major upset, considering PSG's financial muscle and the presence of Mbappé. It highlights the importance of teamwork, organization, and tactical discipline in football. The German club will now face either Real Madrid or Bayern Munich in the final, where they will aim to lift their second Champions League trophy.

Indian football's senior men's team head coach Igor Stimac has unveiled his second list of 15 probables for the Bhubaneswar camp in preparation for the FIFA World Cup 2026 preliminary joint qualification round 2 matches against Kuwait and Qatar. This announcement follows the release of the first list of 26 probables on Saturday.The 26 players from the first list will commence training in the Odisha capital on May 10. The 15 players from the second list, comprising players from Mumbai City FC and Mohun Bagan SG who contested the ISL Cup final, will join the camp on May 15.A total of 41 players will participate in the national camp. The Blue Tigers will face Kuwait in Kolkata on June 6 before traveling to Qatar on June 11 for their final two matches of Group A.India currently stands second in the group with four points from four matches. The top two teams in the group will advance to Round 3 of the FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and secure their place at the AFC Asian Cup Saudi Arabia 2027.Second List of 15 Probables for Bhubaneswar Camp (Training from May 15):* Goalkeepers: Phurba Tempa Lachenpa, Vishal Kaith* Defenders: Akash Mishra, Anwar Ali, Mehtab Singh, Rahul Bheke, Subhasish Bose* Midfielders: Anirudh Thapa, Deepak Tangri, Lalengmawia Ralte, Lallianzuala Chhangte, Liston Colaco, Sahal Abdul Samad* Forwards: Manvir Singh, Vikram Partap SinghFirst List of 26 Probables for Bhubaneswar Camp (Training from May 10):* Goalkeepers: Amrinder Singh, Gurpreet Singh Sandhu* Defenders: Amey Ganesh Ranawade, Jay Gupta, Lalchungnunga, Muhammad Hammad, Narender, Nikhil Poojary, Roshan Singh Naorem* Midfielders: Brandon Fernandes, Edmund Lalrindika, Imran Khan, Isak Vanlalruatfela, Jeakson Singh Thounaojam, Mahesh Singh Naorem, Mohammad Yasir, Nandhakumar Sekar, Rahul Kannoly Praveen, Suresh Singh Wangjam, Vibin Mohanan* Forwards: David Lalhlansanga, Jithin Madathil Subran, Lalrinzuala, Parthib Sundar Gogoi, Rahim Ali, Sunil Chhetri

Manchester United's hopes of European football next season suffered a major blow as they were thrashed 4-0 by Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park on Monday. The defeat leaves United in eighth place in the Premier League table with just 54 points from 35 games, two points behind Newcastle United in sixth.A makeshift United defense, which included Casemiro at center-back, was easily exploited by Palace on several occasions. Jean-Philippe Mateta and Tyrick Mitchell were also on the scoresheet for the impressive win, while Michael Olise scored a brace.United had several injury absentees and were without Bruno Fernandes, but the ease with which they were beaten will be a huge concern for everyone at the club."A big disappointment. We just had an off-day and we weren't in it," midfielder Christian Eriksen told BBC. "It is what it is. We can't really change the injury things. We have to do what we can on the pitch to change it.""Today it didn't matter who we played. Everyone could have done better. We tried to do what we could but we were not good enough. We'll take the blame as players."It is the first time in the Premier League era that United have lost 13 games in a season, and the scoreline could have been worse.The home side took the lead inside 12 minutes as Olise collected a throw and evaded a limp challenge from Casemiro. With no United player attempting to close him down, he was able to unleash a low shot from just inside the box.It was 2-0 five minutes before the break as Mateta breezed past United defender Jonny Evans and thrashed the ball into the net for a ninth goal in 11 games since the arrival of Glasner in February.The striker had scored 11 goals in his previous 80 games for Palace before that.United's makeshift defense was struggling to contain the movement of their hosts, and when Diogo Dalot failed to deal with a ball to the back post, Mitchell had a tap-in.Olise's second goal added more salt to the wound, and it could have been worse for the visitors as Odsonne Edouard saw his shot come back off the woodwork late on."I think we could have got a few more. That shows the potential we have to play against any team in the league," Palace defender Chris Richards said.

Mama Balde's dramatic stoppage-time header propelled Lyon to a stunning 4-3 comeback victory over Lille in Ligue 1 on Monday, dealing a significant blow to Lille's Champions League aspirations.Lille appeared to be cruising towards victory after taking a 2-0 lead into the break, courtesy of Bafode Diakite's first-half header and Edon Zhegrova's strike. However, Lyon rallied in the second half, with Said Benrahma and Malick Fofana finding the net to level the scores.Diakite restored Lille's advantage with another header, but Alexandre Lacazette's close-range finish once again brought Lyon level. As the match entered injury time, Balde rose highest to meet Clinton Mata's cross and secure a dramatic victory for the visitors.The result leaves Lille in fourth place with two games remaining, two points behind Brest in third and four ahead of Nice in fifth. The top three teams qualify automatically for next season's Champions League, while the fourth-placed team enters the preliminary rounds.Lyon's victory, meanwhile, lifts them to seventh place, which could be enough to secure a spot in the Conference League if Paris Saint-Germain wins the French Cup.The match was a rare Monday kick-off in Ligue 1 due to the anniversary of the Furiani disaster in Corsica, where 18 people died and thousands were injured in 1992.

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti faces a crucial task as he seeks to guide his team past Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League semi-final on Wednesday. Despite earning a 2-2 draw in the first leg in Bavaria, Ancelotti acknowledged that Real Madrid failed to reach their full potential."Bayern are very dangerous, they were at their best and we weren't -- we have time to improve for Wednesday," Ancelotti said after the first leg.Real Madrid secured the La Liga title with a 3-0 win over Cadiz on Saturday, but celebrations were muted as the team's focus remained on the Champions League. The players reported for training on Sunday morning and refrained from joining fans at Plaza Cibeles, where they typically celebrate major titles."We would like to celebrate with all the fans, but they understand because on Wednesday we have a very important challenge," Ancelotti said. "It's contained joy -- we have the most important game of the season coming up."Madrid captain Nacho Fernandez echoed his coach's sentiments. "We're on the verge of reaching another final, we're going to give our all to get there -- that's why we can't celebrate too much," he said.Ancelotti's goal is to secure a fifth La Liga and Champions League double for Real Madrid. The Italian coach has won 12 trophies at the club and is close to matching Miguel Munoz's record of 14 titles, achieved between 1960 and 1972.To reach the final at Wembley, Ancelotti must find a way to neutralize Bayern's dangerous wingers, Leroy Sane and Jamal Musiala, who posed a constant threat in the first leg. Dani Carvajal will return from suspension at right-back to try and contain Musiala, while Jude Bellingham and others may be tasked with tracking back to help Ferland Mendy stop Sane."It was important when we began to defend with collective commitment," Ancelotti said, emphasizing the team's improved defensive performance this season. "The big effort was made by the forwards, rather than the defenders -- injuries helped us understand that it wasn't about individuals but a team effort."Ancelotti could also introduce Eduardo Camavinga to add energy and disrupt Bayern's build-up play. If his tactical adjustments fail, Madrid can always rely on the "magic" of the Santiago Bernabeu. The stadium has witnessed remarkable comebacks in the past, including Real Madrid's run to the 2022 Champions League final."It's time to have a magical night at the Bernabeu," Vinicius said after the Bayern draw, invoking the stadium's legendary atmosphere.

Malaysian Footballer Faisal Halim Suffers Acid Burns in Shopping Mall AttackMalaysian national footballer Faisal Halim has become the victim of a horrific attack, sustaining second-degree burns after being splashed with acid at a shopping mall over the weekend. The incident has sent shockwaves through the Malaysian football community and has raised concerns about the safety of athletes.According to Najwan Halimi, a sports official in Selangor state, Faisal was attacked on Sunday in the Petaling Jaya district outside Kuala Lumpur. The 26-year-old winger for the Selangor Football Club suffered burns on his neck, shoulder, hands, and chest."I strongly condemn this violence and urge the police to bring the perpetrator to justice," Najwan said in a statement.Selangor police chief Hussein Omar Khan confirmed the arrest of a male suspect on Monday, but did not disclose a motive for the attack. A photo of Faisal with visible burn marks on his body has been circulating online, eliciting widespread sympathy and outrage.The attack on Faisal comes just three days after another national player, Akhyar Rashid, was injured in a robbery outside his home in the eastern state of Terengganu. Akhyar, 25, was struck with an iron rod by two unidentified suspects and suffered injuries to his head and leg that required stitches.Football Association of Malaysia president Hamidin Mohamad Amin expressed his dismay over both attacks. "The people of Malaysia pray that Akhyar and Faisal recover quickly and get back to action," he said.The incidents have highlighted the need for increased security measures for athletes in Malaysia. The authorities have been urged to investigate the motives behind the attacks and take appropriate action to prevent similar incidents in the future.

Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool may have missed out on the Premier League title, but the drama continues for the German manager, who will step down at the end of the season. Last week, he clashed with Mohamed Salah as Liverpool effectively dropped out of the title race. While Salah opened the scoring in a 4-2 win against Tottenham at Anfield on Sunday, it was Harvey Elliott who brought the broadest smile to Klopp's face with a stunning long-range goal."What a goal," Klopp said. "In the game you only see it flying in and I thought, 'That was a good shot.' The goal I saw afterwards, there was not a lot of space left or right. It went exactly where it should be. Top goal.”Elliott's strike, after goals from Salah, Andy Robertson, and Cody Gakpo, fired Liverpool into a 4-0 lead before the hour mark. What followed was an unlikely fightback from Spurs that could have made this another frustrating day in what has ultimately been a disappointing finale for Klopp at the end of nearly nine trophy-filled years.Goals from Richarlison and Son Heung-min made it a much closer contest than it had ever looked like being. And it needed two outstanding saves from Alisson, a goal-line clearance from Joe Gomez, and a VAR call to prevent it from being closer still.“It's a little bit of a mirror of the season. Really, really, really, good until we were really rubbish and then, we were okay again," Klopp said.A nervy finish didn't stop the home fans from beckoning Klopp to produce his trademark post-match triple fist pump to the crowd after his penultimate home game in charge, with Feyenoord coach Arne Slot set to take over next season.Mathematically, at least, it is not over for third-place Liverpool, which sits five points adrift of leader Arsenal with two games remaining. But, in reality, a late-season slump has killed Klopp's hopes of walking away with a second Premier League crown of his reign.His team had been heavily rebuilt over the past two seasons and was not expected to contend at the top so soon. But this season at one point offered Liverpool the hope of a quadruple of trophies. Now it feels like it is ending on an underwhelming note.Still, Klopp, who delivered the English League Cup in February, will walk away from a team that is on the up and leave his successor with plenty of young talent to work with.The 21-year-old Elliott is a prime example and he showcased his ample potential with an assist and a goal as Liverpool threatened to run riot. His perfectly placed curling cross provided Gakpo with the simple task of heading in Liverpool's third and then he swept an unstoppable shot from around 20 yards (meters) into the top corner and beyond Tottenham goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario.“Harvey is exceptional. Still so young. So exceptional,” Klopp said. “In the midfield position, it was probably one of the top three performances from him today. The goal was exceptional. Everyone needs moments to gain more confidence. It was a good moment. That helps definitely.”

Celta Vigo's dramatic 3-2 victory over Villarreal on Sunday has boosted their chances of La Liga survival, while Granada's 3-0 defeat at Sevilla has all but sealed their relegation.Anastasios Douvikas' late goal secured Celta's triumph at Balaidos against a depleted Villarreal side, who had Santi Comesana dismissed after just 17 minutes for a reckless tackle. The Galicians now hold an eight-point advantage over the relegation zone with four matches remaining.Granada's hopes of avoiding the drop took a significant blow with their heavy defeat at Sevilla. The Andalucians appear destined to join Almeria in the second division next season, while Cadiz, currently 18th, still harbor hopes of salvation.Despite losing to Real Madrid on Saturday, Villarreal's chances of survival were boosted by Rayo Vallecano's 1-0 defeat at Almeria on Sunday. Cadiz trail Mallorca by six points and Rayo and Celta by eight.Alaves dealt a blow to Valencia's European aspirations with a 1-0 victory at Mestalla, leaving Ruben Baraja's team eighth in the standings. Real Betis, seventh, secured a 2-0 win at Osasuna to move five points clear of Valencia in the race for European football. With Copa del Rey champions Athletic Bilbao already guaranteed a Europa League spot, a top-seven finish will secure continental qualification.

Sporting Lisbon has emerged victorious as the champions of Portugal for the second time in 21 years, following Benfica's defeat on Sunday. The triumph marks a remarkable achievement for Sporting, who have dominated the league with an impressive 92 goals in 32 matches.Ruben Amorim's side secured the title after a convincing 3-0 victory over Portimonense on Saturday, while their rivals Benfica stumbled to a 2-0 loss at Famalicao. With just two games remaining in the season, Sporting holds an unassailable eight-point lead over Benfica.Amorim's team has been a force to be reckoned with throughout the campaign, losing only twice. Their success is largely attributed to the prolific goalscoring of Swedish forward Viktor Gyokeres, who has netted 27 times this season. Gyokeres's contribution has been instrumental in Sporting's title triumph.The club's resurgence under Amorim is a testament to his tactical acumen and leadership. The former Benfica player has now guided Sporting to two league titles in his tenure, including the 2020/21 season.Sporting's triumph is a significant milestone for the club, which has a rich history in Portuguese football. The victory marks their 20th league title, trailing only Porto (30) and Benfica (38).The club's success is not limited to the league. Sporting will face Porto in the Portuguese Cup final on May 26, aiming to secure a double. A victory in the cup final would cap off a remarkable season for Sporting and further cement their status as one of Portugal's top clubs.