Football

Atletico Madrid's hopes of recovering from their humiliating Champions League defeat were dashed by Luka Sucic's stunning strike, which earned Real Sociedad a 1-1 draw in La Liga on Sunday.Diego Simeone's team, still reeling from their 4-0 thrashing by Benfica midweek, took an early lead in San Sebastian through Julian Alvarez. However, their advantage proved short-lived as Sucic's long-range effort in the 84th minute secured a point for the home side.Atletico's draw leaves them third in the standings, level on points with Villarreal but seven behind leaders Barcelona. Real Sociedad, meanwhile, remain in 15th place."It's a bad feeling because we wanted to win the game," said Atletico defender Axel Witsel. "We let in a late goal and it hurts, we had a good game defensively... everyone was working hard. The goal we let in was a great strike but I think we could have avoided it."Former Manchester City striker Alvarez put Atletico ahead within the first minute after Antoine Griezmann backheeled the ball into his path. Griezmann, who recently retired from international duty with France, made his 400th appearance for the club.Atletico goalkeeper Jan Oblak made a superb save to keep out Nayef Aguerd's close-range effort and also denied Takefusa Kubo. The visitors looked set to claim three points before Sucic's late intervention.Rodrigo de Paul gave the ball away cheaply in his own half and Sucic hit a first-time shot that spun over Oblak and into the net. Kubo fired narrowly off-target in the final minutes as the hosts tried to snatch all three points.

In a thrilling Bundesliga encounter, Eintracht Frankfurt fought back from a 3-2 deficit to secure a 3-3 draw against Bayern Munich, denying the Bavarian giants a two-point cushion at the summit. Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush emerged as the hero for Frankfurt, scoring twice, including a dramatic injury-time equalizer.Bayern took the lead through Min-Jae Kim's opener, but Frankfurt responded with a stunning counter-attack, Marmoush equalizing before Hugo Ekitike gave them a 2-1 advantage. Bayern regained the lead through Dayot Upamecano and Michael Olise, but Marmoush's late strike ensured a share of the spoils.Meanwhile, RB Leipzig moved into joint leadership with Bayern after a 1-0 victory at Heidenheim. Ikoma Openda scored the only goal, extending Leipzig's unbeaten run to seven games in all competitions.In other Bundesliga action, Stuttgart's Ermedin Demirovic scored a 100th-minute equalizer to deny Hoffenheim a much-needed three points. Reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen also dropped points, drawing 2-2 with Holstein Kiel despite taking an early two-goal lead.Marmoush's performance has been particularly impressive, with the Egyptian now the Bundesliga's top scorer with eight goals in six games. His goalscoring exploits have helped Frankfurt climb to third place, just a point behind Bayern and Leipzig.

Paris Saint-Germain's title defense hit a roadblock on Sunday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Nice, leaving Monaco alone at the summit of the French league. Despite fielding a star-studded lineup that included the return of Ousmane Dembélé, PSG struggled to find their rhythm in the first half.Nice took advantage of PSG's sluggish start, with Ali Abdi scoring a well-taken goal in the 39th minute. The defending champions responded after the interval, with Nuno Mendes equalizing five minutes after Dembélé's effort was parried away.Luis Enrique's team dominated possession but lacked creativity in the final third. Dembélé, who had been criticized for his perceived lack of commitment, showed flashes of his brilliance but was unable to inspire PSG to victory.Monaco, meanwhile, continued their impressive start to the season with a 2-0 win over Nantes. Nicolas Tagliafico and Nicolas Pallois scored the goals for the league leaders, who now hold a two-point advantage over PSG.Elsewhere, Lyon secured their fourth straight win in all competitions by beating Nantes 2-0. The victory lifted Lyon five points clear of the relegation playoff spot.Reims moved up to fourth place with a 4-2 victory over Montpellier, while Brest followed up their midweek Champions League triumph with a 2-0 defeat of Le Havre. Lens and Strasbourg played out a 2-2 draw.

Manchester United's dismal run continued on Sunday as they were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by Aston Villa at Villa Park. The result extended United's winless streak to five games and piled further pressure on manager Erik ten Hag.Despite dominating possession, United failed to create clear-cut chances throughout the match. Bruno Fernandes came closest to breaking the deadlock with a free-kick that rattled the crossbar in the second half. However, the Red Devils have now failed to score in their last three Premier League outings.Ten Hag made several changes to his starting lineup, dropping Lisandro Martinez and Matthijs de Ligt in favor of Harry Maguire and Jonny Evans. The Dutchman also replaced Marcus Rashford at halftime, a decision that raised eyebrows given Rashford's impressive performance in the first half.Villa, who had stunned Bayern Munich in midweek, were also unable to find their rhythm. They had a few half-chances but lacked the cutting edge to trouble United's defense.The draw leaves United languishing in 14th place in the Premier League table, having won just two of their opening seven games. Villa, meanwhile, missed the opportunity to move into the top four and remain in fifth place.Ten Hag's position is now under intense scrutiny. The club's hierarchy must decide whether to give him more time or make a change during the upcoming international break.

Chelsea's five-match winning streak came to an end on Sunday as they were held to a 1-1 draw by 10-man Nottingham Forest at Stamford Bridge. Noni Madueke's equalizer rescued a point for the Blues after Chris Wood had given Forest an early second-half lead.Despite fielding a changed starting lineup, Chelsea struggled to create clear-cut chances in the first half. Forest, on the other hand, looked dangerous on the counterattack and took the lead through Wood's close-range finish.Chelsea responded well to the setback and equalized through Madueke's fine strike in the 57th minute. The hosts pushed for a winner but were unable to break down a resolute Forest defense.Forest's task became even more difficult when James Ward-Prowse was sent off for a second bookable offense in the 78th minute. However, Chelsea failed to capitalize on their numerical advantage and were frustrated by a series of missed chances.The draw leaves Chelsea in fourth place in the Premier League, but it is a setback in their hopes of challenging for the title. Forest, meanwhile, remain in the relegation zone but will take heart from their performance against one of the league's top teams.

Kylian Mbappé's premature return to action has sparked controversy within the French national team, with head coach Didier Deschamps and his staff expressing outrage. Mbappé, who was expected to be sidelined for three weeks after sustaining an injury against Real Madrid, made a surprise appearance against Lille in the UEFA Champions League just nine days later. He subsequently played 70 minutes against Villarreal on Saturday.Deschamps and his coaching staff are reportedly unhappy with Mbappé's decision to rush back into action, as they believe it was solely motivated by his desire to play for Paris Saint-Germain. They feel that the French captain has "erased himself from the national team" by prioritizing his club commitments over his international responsibilities.France's recent loss to Italy in the UEFA Nations League has further fueled the controversy. The team currently sits in second place in Group 2 and faces crucial matches against Hungary and Belgium in the coming weeks. Mbappé's absence from the squad has raised questions about his commitment to the national team and his ability to lead the team to success.The situation has also drawn criticism from former France and Manchester United captain Patrice Evra. Evra questioned the decision to hand Mbappé the captaincy, arguing that he is not yet on the same level as Karim Benzema. He also criticized the team's decision to give Mbappé preferential treatment, suggesting that it could undermine the team's motivation.Mbappé's actions have sparked a wave of backlash, with many fans and pundits expressing their disappointment. The controversy has cast a shadow over the French national team and raised concerns about Mbappé's future with the team.

Indian Women's Football Suffers Humiliating Defeat in AFC Champions League DebutIndian women's football club Odisha FC endured a crushing 0-17 defeat in their AFC Women's Champions League debut against Japan's Urawa Reds Diamonds on Sunday. The Japanese side dominated the match from start to finish, showcasing their superior skill and experience.Yu Endo opened the scoring for Urawa Reds within five minutes, setting the tone for a relentless onslaught. The Japanese side went on to score eight more goals in the first half, leaving Odisha FC reeling. The second half proved no respite, as Urawa Reds continued to pile on the pressure, ending the match with a staggering 55 shots compared to Odisha FC's solitary attempt.The defeat marks a disappointing start to Odisha FC's AFC Champions League campaign. The Indian club will now face Vietnam's Ho Chi Minh City FC on Wednesday, hoping to salvage some pride.Meanwhile, the Indian senior men's football team will play a one-off friendly match against Vietnam on October 12. The match was originally scheduled as part of a tri-nation tournament, but Lebanon's withdrawal forced a rescheduling. The match will be an official friendly, with points counting towards the FIFA Rankings.India will assemble in Kolkata on October 5 and travel to Vietnam on October 7. Coach Manolo Marquez has announced a list of 26 probables, with the final squad of 23 players to be announced before the team's departure.After the Vietnam match, India will face Malaysia in a friendly during the FIFA Window on November 19. Malaysia is currently ranked 132nd in the FIFA rankings, while India is ranked 126th. The two teams last met in the Merdeka Cup semi-final in October 2023, with Malaysia emerging victorious 2-4.

Monaco ascended to the summit of the Ligue 1 standings on Saturday, securing a 2-1 triumph over Rennes away from home. This victory propelled them three points ahead of defending champions Paris Saint-Germain.Thilo Kehrer and Folarin Balogun found the back of the net for the principality side, propelling them to 19 points. PSG, currently on 16 points with a superior goal difference, will have the opportunity to reclaim the top spot when they face Nice on Sunday."After seven games, we have 19 points. That's the reality and the truth, and we're really happy about that," remarked Monaco coach Adi Huetter.However, he cautioned, "The championship is not a 100-meter sprint, it's a 400-meter race, and we've started very well."Monaco's match in Brittany, played under rainy conditions, was decided early in the first half. Kehrer opened the scoring before Ludovic Blas equalized, and Balogun then netted the winner, all within the first 22 minutes.Monaco youngster Eliesse Ben Seghir, continuing his impressive start to the season, played a pivotal role in both of his side's goals. His corner in the sixth minute found Kehrer's head, who nodded it past the goalkeeper despite a defender's attempt to clear it off the line.Blas restored parity for Rennes five minutes later with a thunderous left-footed strike from over 35 yards that flew past Philipp Koehn.However, Balogun sealed the points for Huetter's side when he chipped the ball over an advancing Steve Mandanda in the 22nd minute after a defense-splitting pass from Ben Seghir.Earlier on Saturday, Lille moved up to fourth place, coming from behind to secure a home victory against lowly Toulouse. Zakaria Aboukhlal gave the 16th-placed side a surprise lead six minutes before halftime, but former Manchester United playmaker Angel Gomes equalized for Lille on 57 minutes. Mitchel Bakker secured the win for Lille in the 72nd minute, rounding off a swift counter-attack.A hat-trick from Zuriko Davitashvili propelled Saint-Etienne out of the relegation zone as they defeated Auxerre 3-1 at home. The Georgian opened the scoring in the 15th minute with a powerful finish after carrying the ball 40 yards into the visitors' penalty area. He added his second on 54 minutes after cutting in from the left flank and firing with his right foot. Theo Bair halved the deficit with 15 minutes remaining, but Davitashvili completed his triple with a dinked finish on 87 minutes.On Sunday, Lyon will host Nantes, while Reims and Lens will also be in action, before PSG travel to ninth-placed Nice.

Real Madrid regained their winning ways in La Liga with a 2-0 victory over Villarreal on Saturday, bouncing back from their midweek Champions League defeat at Lille. Fede Valverde and Vinicius Junior scored the goals for Los Blancos, who moved level on points with leaders Barcelona ahead of their match on Sunday.Valverde's deflected effort gave Madrid the lead in the 14th minute, while Vinicius sealed the win with a stunning strike from outside the area in the second half. The victory was marred by an injury to defender Dani Carvajal, who was stretchered off in stoppage time.Madrid's victory was hard-fought, as Villarreal put up a strong challenge. The visitors came close to equalizing on several occasions, but Madrid's defense held firm. The win extends Madrid's unbeaten run in La Liga to 10 matches, and they remain the only team in the division yet to lose a game.Villarreal, meanwhile, remain in third place, four points behind Madrid. They have now lost two of their last three matches, but they will be encouraged by their performance against the league leaders.