Football

Borja Herrera's scintillating hat-trick propelled FC Goa to a thrilling 3-2 victory over East Bengal in the Indian Super League (ISL) at the Salt Lake Stadium on Friday. The win marked Goa's first triumph of the season, while East Bengal suffered their second consecutive defeat.Goa dominated the proceedings from the outset, with their attacking trio of Dejan Drazic, Jorge Ortiz, and Borja Herrera causing constant problems for the East Bengal defense. In the 13th minute, Drazic's low cross found Herrera unmarked in the box, and the Spaniard made no mistake in slotting the ball into the open goal.East Bengal's defense continued to struggle, and Herrera doubled Goa's lead in the 29th minute. A defensive error by East Bengal's Hijaji Meher allowed Herrera to pounce on the loose ball and fire it past goalkeeper Debjit Majumder.East Bengal showed some fight and pulled one back through a penalty converted by Madih Talal in the 29th minute. However, Goa continued to press forward and restored their two-goal advantage in the 71st minute. Herrera completed his hat-trick with a fine solo effort, dribbling past several East Bengal defenders before unleashing a powerful shot into the bottom corner.East Bengal reduced the deficit in the 85th minute when substitute David Lalhlansanga scored from close range. However, it was too little too late as Goa held on for a hard-fought victory.Despite being reduced to 10 men in the 81st minute after Carl McHugh received a second yellow card, Goa defended resolutely to secure the three points. The win lifted Goa to seventh place in the ISL standings, while East Bengal remained rooted to the bottom of the table.

Forca Kochi Triumphs with Dorielton's HeroicsIn a thrilling encounter at the Nehru Stadium, Forca Kochi FC secured its first victory in the Super League Kerala, thanks to the brilliance of Brazilian forward Dorielton Gomes.The first half belonged to Thiruvananthapuram Kombans, who dominated possession and created numerous chances. Abdul Badish and Ganesan exploited the flanks, sending dangerous crosses into the box. Brazilian striker Marcos Wilder capitalized on one such opportunity, heading in a corner from Davi Kuhn in the 41st minute.However, the second half witnessed a dramatic shift in momentum. Kochi coach Mario Lemos introduced K.P. Rahul, who injected pace and energy into the home side's attack. In the 59th minute, Rahul's quick run and cross found Dorielton in the box. The Brazilian outwitted two defenders and sent a low cross to Rahul, who slotted the ball past goalkeeper Michel Santos.Dorielton sealed the victory for Kochi in the 75th minute. Nijo Gilbert's corner from the right found Dorielton unmarked, and the Brazilian calmly slotted the ball into the net.The result was a testament to the tactical adjustments made by Lemos and the determination of the Kochi players. Dorielton's performance was particularly impressive, as he not only scored the winning goal but also provided the assist for Rahul's equalizer.

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.

Julian Alvarez's late heroics secured a dramatic 1-0 victory for Atletico Madrid at Celta Vigo in La Liga on Thursday. Despite a lackluster performance, the Argentine substitute's 90th-minute strike snatched all three points for Diego Simeone's side.Atletico struggled to create chances in the first half, failing to register a single shot. Celta, on the other hand, threatened through Iago Aspas and Borja Iglesias, but Slovenian goalkeeper Jan Oblak made crucial saves to keep the visitors level.Simeone introduced Alvarez in the second half, and the former Manchester City striker made an immediate impact. He stayed alert to prod home Antoine Griezmann's deep cross at the back post, securing a vital victory for Atletico."We didn't play well in attack in the first half," Simeone admitted. "The subs gave us a bit more creativity to be able to win the game."Earlier in the day, Ayoze Perez scored twice to lead Villarreal to a 2-1 win at Espanyol. The Spain international now has six goals this season, trailing only Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski in the scoring charts.Real Betis, however, could only manage a 1-1 draw at bottom-of-the-table Las Palmas. Barcelona remain top of the league after their 1-0 win over Getafe on Wednesday, with Real Madrid second following their 3-2 victory against Alaves on Tuesday.

Napoli cruised into the last 16 of the Italian Cup with a resounding 5-0 victory over 10-man Palermo on Thursday, but the match was overshadowed by crowd trouble.Cyril Ngonge's early brace set the tone for a dominant Napoli performance at the Stadio Diego Armando Maradona. The Belgian forward opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a clinical finish, before doubling his tally just six minutes later.Juan Jesus extended Napoli's lead three minutes before half-time, heading home from a corner. Palermo's misery was compounded in the 58th minute when Aljosa Vasic was sent off for a high boot on Billy Gilmour.David Neres added a fourth for Napoli 12 minutes later, rolling the ball into an empty net after a fine run from Giacomo Raspadori. Scott McTominay completed the rout with his first Napoli goal, seconds after replacing Raspadori.The match was marred by crowd trouble, with rival fans throwing flares and firecrackers at each other during half-time. The second half was delayed by seven minutes as a result.The incident follows a week of violence in Italian football. On Wednesday, there were widespread clashes between Genoa and Sampdoria's hardcore ultras before and after their local derby, which was won on penalties by Samp.Italian media report that both Genoa and Samp may have to play their next two home matches behind closed doors after dozens of injuries on a night of tension in the Italian port city.Napoli fans were also involved in clashes with Cagliari fans in Sardinia earlier this month.Despite the off-field distractions, Napoli remain on course for a domestic double. They are top of Serie A and have now reached the last 16 of the Italian Cup.

Real Madrid, the reigning Spanish and European champions, face their toughest test of the season so far when they travel to the Wanda Metropolitano to take on city rivals Atletico Madrid in a highly anticipated La Liga derby clash on Sunday.Atletico, under the astute leadership of Diego Simeone, are the only team to have defeated Real Madrid in the league in the past year, inflicting two losses on Carlo Ancelotti's side. The Rojiblancos also eliminated Madrid from the Copa del Rey in January 2024, marking the only defeat Madrid has suffered in the calendar year.Real Madrid will be without star summer signing Kylian Mbappe, who sustained a thigh injury in the midweek win over Alaves. However, Ancelotti still has a plethora of attacking options at his disposal. Brazilian forward Vinicius Junior, who has been a frequent target of abuse from Atletico supporters, has hit top form ahead of the derby. Jude Bellingham, the highly-rated English midfielder, could be given more attacking responsibilities.Another option for Ancelotti is to deploy Luka Modric as an extra midfielder in a return to the 4-4-2 formation, rather than maintaining the 4-3-3 used so far, to help Madrid minimize Atletico's threat.After a sluggish start to the campaign, Madrid have won five consecutive matches across all competitions. "We're getting better and it suits us because the schedule is very demanding," said Ancelotti. "We've come back well after the break and we want to continue like this for Sunday's game, which is going to be very tough."Madrid, currently second in the standings, trail leaders Barcelona by four points. Atletico, meanwhile, are two points behind their city rivals after a fortunate late 1-0 win at Celta Vigo.Atletico forward Julian Alvarez, who scored the winning goal against Celta, could start after coming off the bench in recent matches. Simeone has praised Alvarez's versatility, saying, "He's a versatile player, he can play upfront, he can play (in midfield), he gives us more options."

Bundesliga Title Showdown: Musiala and Wirtz Set to Clash in Early BattleThe Bundesliga title race is set to ignite this weekend as Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen, the reigning champions, face off in a highly anticipated clash at Munich's Allianz Arena. At the heart of this early showdown will be two of Germany's most promising young talents: Jamal Musiala and Florian Wirtz.Musiala, 21, and Wirtz, 20, have emerged as key figures for their respective clubs and the German national team. Both midfielders possess exceptional technical ability, creativity, and an eye for goal. They have combined brilliantly at international level, but on Saturday, they will go head-to-head in a battle that could have a significant impact on the title race.Bayern, the perennial Bundesliga champions, have started the season in dominant fashion, winning all four of their opening fixtures. Leverkusen, meanwhile, sit just three points behind in second place, having lost only once in their first five games.The match will be played against the backdrop of Munich's Oktoberfest, adding to the festive atmosphere. Last year, Leverkusen laid down an early marker with a 2-2 draw in Munich, before thumping Bayern 3-0 in the return fixture.Musiala has been in impressive form for Bayern this season, scoring three goals and providing one assist in four league games. Wirtz, Leverkusen's creative force, has been equally impressive, with four goals and an assist in the same number of matches.In the lead-up to the match, Musiala described Wirtz as a "good friend" and acknowledged the significance of the clash. "It's going to be a tough game and everyone's looking forward to it," he said.The match will also be a test of character for both players, who have been linked with moves away from their current clubs. Bayern are keen to extend Musiala's contract, which expires in 2026, while Leverkusen are facing an uphill battle to keep Wirtz, whose deal runs until 2027.With both players entering the match with uncertain futures, the stakes are high. The outcome of the match could provide an early indication of the title race and the potential destinations of two of Germany's most exciting young talents.

Mohammedan Sporting Club, a storied legacy club with a 133-year history, made its mark in the Indian Super League (ISL) with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Chennaiyin FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium on Thursday.The match began with Owen Coyle's Chennaiyin FC showcasing their aerial dominance, but it was Mohammedan who struck first in the 39th minute. A miscommunication between Chennaiyin goalkeeper Samik Mitra and defender P.C. Laldinpuia allowed Mohammedan midfielder F. Lalremsanga to capitalize on a loose ball and slot it into an open net.Despite making five changes to his attacking lineup, Coyle's efforts to equalize proved futile. Mohammedan's Cesar Manzoki Lobi had a golden opportunity to seal the victory with a penalty in injury time, but his spot-kick went wide.Chennaiyin came alive in the dying minutes, with a shot cleared off the line by Gaurav Bora and Vanlalzuidika Chhakchhuak. However, their inability to fire a shot on target until the 82nd minute ultimately cost them the match.Mohammedan's victory marks a significant milestone for the club, which has long been a force in Indian football. The win also highlights the growing competitiveness of the ISL, where even newly promoted teams can challenge established powerhouses.

Manchester United's struggles continued as they were held to a disappointing 1-1 draw by their former manager Erik ten Hag's old club FC Twente in the Europa League. The result leaves United with just three wins from seven games in all competitions this season.Ten Hag, who spent two years at Twente as a player and manager, was visibly frustrated after the match. He criticized his team's lack of killer instinct, saying, "You have to kill the game. You have to finish it off."United took the lead in the first half through a stunning strike from Christian Eriksen. However, Twente equalized in the second half through Sam Lammers, who capitalized on a mistake by Eriksen.Ten Hag admitted that his team was not at their best. "We didn't fight for every yard," he said. "99% is not enough. You have to give 100%."The draw was a setback for United, who are looking to improve on their disappointing sixth-place finish in the Premier League last season. Ten Hag has made several changes to the squad, but the team has yet to find its rhythm.United's next match is a Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday. Ten Hag will be hoping for a much-improved performance from his team.