Football

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.

Champions League Resumes with Key Injuries Sidelining Star PlayersThe UEFA Champions League resumed on Tuesday, October 1, 2024, with a wave of injuries casting a shadow over the competition. Kylian Mbappé's hamstring injury is expected to keep him out beyond Wednesday, when defending champion Real Madrid faces Lille. Manchester City midfielder Rodri is out for the season with a serious knee injury, while Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen will miss most of it. Inter Milan's Nicolò Barella, who impressed against Rodri on September 18, will miss at least one Champions League game due to a thigh strain.These injuries have reignited the debate about player workload in a congested calendar. The expanded Champions League format, which was pushed by influential clubs, has resulted in 18 games this week, leaving each team with six more to play through January.Rematches and Crowd SizeThe first week of the new Champions League format featured two repeats of past finals. Manchester City and Inter drew 0-0, while Liverpool defeated AC Milan 3-1. Another rematch is scheduled for Wednesday when Aston Villa hosts Bayern Munich, a giant of the European Cup era that was shocked 1-0 in the 1982 final.Crowd size and fan fervor have varied in the opening week. Celtic Park witnessed a pulsating atmosphere for a rare European win by the Scottish champion, while the attendance was lower for the Inter-Manchester City game. Milan-Liverpool was far from sold out, with fewer than 60,000 fans at San Siro.Key MatchupsDespite Mbappé's absence, Real Madrid is expected to have too much firepower for Lille. Premier League leader Liverpool hosts Bologna, while Girona's first European visitor to the Montilivi stadium is Feyenoord. Dinamo Zagreb fired its coach after a drubbing at Bayern and brought back Nenad Bjelica for a second spell. He starts in the Champions League hosting Monaco.Tuesday's Games* Celtic vs. Borussia Dortmund* Bayer Leverkusen vs. AC Milan* Inter Milan vs. Red Star Belgrade* Arsenal vs. Paris Saint-Germain* Barcelona vs. Young BoysWednesday's Games* Real Madrid vs. Lille* Liverpool vs. Bologna* Girona vs. Feyenoord* Dinamo Zagreb vs. Monaco

Osasuna's stunning 4-2 victory over Barcelona on Saturday shattered the Catalan giants' perfect start to the La Liga season. The defeat marked a significant setback for Barcelona, who had won all seven of their opening fixtures.Osasuna's triumph was orchestrated by Ante Budimir, who scored a brace, and Bryan Zaragoza, who netted the opening goal. Pau Victor briefly gave Barcelona hope with a lifeline goal, but Budimir's second-half penalty and Abel Bretones' sensational strike sealed the victory for the hosts. Lamine Yamal pulled one back for Barcelona, but it was too little, too late.Barcelona coach Hansi Flick took full responsibility for the defeat, acknowledging that his heavily rotated side had made numerous mistakes in the first half. "We had a lot of changes in the team and this is maybe one reason for that," Flick said. "I think it was necessary. We had so many matches, a lot of players had so many minutes, I have to take care about that. This is my responsibility."Flick's decision to rest key players ahead of Tuesday's Champions League match against Young Boys backfired, as Barcelona failed to ignite in the first half. Osasuna, on the other hand, seized the opportunity, with Zaragoza playing a pivotal role in the opening two goals.Barcelona's struggles continued in the second half, despite the introduction of Yamal and Raphinha. Top scorer Robert Lewandowski was taken off with 20 minutes remaining after a disappointing display. Osasuna capitalized on Barcelona's defensive lapses, with Budimir converting a penalty and Bretones adding a fourth goal.The defeat leaves Barcelona with a four-point lead over second-place Real Madrid, who face Atletico Madrid in a derby clash on Sunday. Osasuna, meanwhile, climbed to sixth place in the standings.

The FIFA Club World Cup, an expanded tournament featuring 32 of the world's top club teams, will culminate in a grand finale at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey on July 13, 2023. The stadium, home to the NFL's New York Giants and New York Jets, will also host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.The inaugural edition of the expanded Club World Cup will kick off on June 15, with matches taking place at 12 venues across the United States. The tournament will run concurrently with the CONCACAF Gold Cup, which will be primarily held on the West Coast.The other venues selected for the Club World Cup include Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta), Bank of America Stadium (Charlotte), TQL Stadium (Cincinnati), Hard Rock Stadium (Miami), GEODIS Park (Nashville), Camping World Stadium (Orlando), Inter&Co Stadium (Orlando), Lincoln Financial Field (Philadelphia), and Audi Field (Washington, D.C.).The draw for the tournament will be held in December, with 30 of the 32 participating teams already determined through qualification. The Club World Cup will feature title-winning teams from each of FIFA's continental confederations, including Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Bayern Munich from Europe, and River Plate, Boca Juniors, and Flamengo from South America.FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the tournament as a testament to inclusivity and solidarity in global club football. He emphasized its potential to foster the growth of the sport and nurture talent worldwide.The Club World Cup will serve as a crucial test event ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, with a focus on security measures following crowd issues at recent Copa America matches in Charlotte and Miami.Despite facing some opposition from player unions and European leagues, FIFA remains committed to the expanded tournament, which it plans to hold every four years. The 2029 edition is yet to have a designated host.

Lionel Messi's equalizer rescued a point for Inter Miami in a 1-1 draw against Charlotte FC in Major League Soccer on Saturday. Despite the setback, Miami remain atop the Eastern Conference and the Supporters Shield standings.Charlotte took the lead through Brandt Bronico's deflected shot in the 57th minute. Miami responded with urgency, and Messi equalized in the 67th minute with a left-footed drive into the bottom corner.Miami thought they had won a penalty in the 77th minute, but VAR overturned the decision. In stoppage time, Luis Suarez missed a golden opportunity to secure the win.Miami coach Gerardo Martino expressed frustration with the draw but acknowledged the team's progress. "We were a team that habitually lost for years, and now, we are a team that habitually wins," he said.Elsewhere, the Seattle Sounders, Houston Dynamo, New York Red Bulls, New York City, LAFC, and Orlando City all clinched playoff berths.In the 'Hudson River derby,' New York City thrashed the New York Red Bulls 5-1, with Alonso Martinez scoring twice. Orlando City defeated FC Dallas 3-1, while LAFC secured their playoff spot with a 2-1 win at FC Cincinnati.

Manchester City's title hopes suffered a setback as they were held to a 1-1 draw at Newcastle United, while Arsenal moved level on points with the champions after a dramatic 4-2 win over Leicester City.City's absence of star midfielder Rodri, who is out for the season with a knee injury, was keenly felt as they lacked control and poise in midfield. Despite taking the lead through Josko Gvardiol, Newcastle deservedly equalized through Anthony Gordon's penalty.Arsenal, meanwhile, showed their resilience by coming from behind twice to beat Leicester. Gabriel Martinelli and Leandro Trossard gave the Gunners a 2-0 lead, but James Justin's brace brought Leicester level. However, Trossard's deflected shot and Kai Havertz's late strike secured the victory for Arsenal.At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea's Cole Palmer made history by becoming the first player to score four goals in the first half of a Premier League match. The 20-year-old forward's stunning display helped Chelsea overcome Brighton's early lead and secure a 4-2 win.West Ham avoided a fourth defeat in five games with a 1-1 draw at Brentford. Bryan Mbeumo's early goal put Brentford ahead, but Tomas Soucek's equalizer rescued a point for the Hammers.Everton ended their winless start to the season with a 2-1 victory over Crystal Palace. Dwight McNeil scored twice in the second half to give the Toffees their first three points of the campaign.Fulham continued their impressive form with a 1-0 win at Nottingham Forest. Raul Jimenez's penalty proved to be the difference as Fulham moved into the top half of the table.

Cole Palmer etched his name into the annals of English Premier League history on Saturday, September 28, 2024, becoming the first player to score four goals in the first half of a match. His remarkable feat propelled Chelsea to a 4-2 victory over Brighton, further solidifying the London club's status as a title contender after investing heavily in the transfer market.Palmer, a product of Chelsea's youth academy, has emerged as a key figure for the Blues this season. His 22 league goals last season placed him second only to Manchester City's Erling Haaland, and he has already netted six times in just six games this campaign. His impressive form has also earned him a regular spot in the England squad, where he scored the team's lone goal in the 2-1 loss to Spain in the European Championship final in July.On Saturday, Palmer showcased his exceptional talent against Brighton. He opened the scoring in the 10th minute with a clinical finish, and added three more goals in quick succession before the half-time whistle. His goalscoring spree sent shockwaves through the Premier League, and left Brighton reeling.Despite Palmer's heroics, Chelsea's victory was not without its challenges. Manchester City, the reigning champions, dropped points for the second consecutive weekend after drawing 1-1 at Newcastle. Erling Haaland, who has been in prolific form this season, was kept scoreless for the first time in the league, leaving him on 10 goals.Arsenal took advantage of City's slip-up by beating Leicester 4-2 thanks to two stoppage-time strikes from Leandro Trossard and Kai Havertz. The Gunners joined City on 14 points at the top of the table.Brentford became the first Premier League team to score inside the first minute in three straight games, but couldn't hold on after Bryan Mbeumo's opener and drew with West Ham 1-1. Everton gained its first win of the season by beating Crystal Palace 2-1, while Fulham won at Nottingham Forest 1-0, with Mexico striker Raul Jimenez scoring in a third straight game.

India emerged victorious in a thrilling 4-2 encounter against Nepal, securing their place in the final of the 2024 SAFF U17 Championship. The match, held at the Changlimithang Stadium in Thimphu, Bhutan, witnessed a high-octane battle between the two teams.The first half remained goalless, with both teams cautiously sizing each other up. India's midfielders dominated possession but struggled to penetrate Nepal's resolute defense. The first clear chance came in the 12th minute when Md Arbash's attempt from a tight angle sailed wide.The second half saw India take the initiative. In the 61st minute, Vishal Yadav broke the deadlock with a poacher's instinct, capitalizing on a rebound from Nepal's goalkeeper. Just seven minutes later, Yadav doubled India's lead with a similar goal, assisted by Karish Soram.Nepal responded with a goal from Subash Bam in the 81st minute, but India quickly restored their two-goal advantage through a header from substitute Ningthoukhongjam Rishi Singh. However, Nepal refused to give up and pulled another goal back in the 89th minute when Mohammed Kaif deflected a corner into his own net.As tensions rose, India sealed their victory in the fifth minute of injury time. Substitute Hemneichung Lunkim scored India's fourth goal, ensuring their place in the final.India will now face the winner of the second semifinal between Pakistan and Bangladesh in the title clash on Monday.

Real Madrid will face their rivals Atletico Madrid on Sunday in La Liga without star signing Kylian Mbappe, who is sidelined for three weeks with a hamstring injury. Despite the absence of their star forward, coach Carlo Ancelotti remains confident in his team's ability to cope."Obviously playing without Mbappe changes things a bit, but not much," Ancelotti said. "We're used to playing without him because last year he wasn't here. It's a pity that he's not here, but his absence we can cover for well."Real Madrid boasts a formidable attacking lineup that includes Jude Bellingham, Rodrygo Goes, and Vinicius Junior, who is a potential Ballon d'Or winner. The Brazilian has been in scintillating form lately and is expected to lead the charge against Diego Simeone's side.However, Vinicius has been subjected to racial abuse in the past, including during previous visits to Atletico's Metropolitano stadium. This week, a group of Atletico supporters launched a campaign encouraging fans to wear face masks to the stadium to facilitate undetected abuse.Ancelotti declined to comment on the issue but expressed confidence that the match would be an entertaining spectacle. "It's a difficult game, that's clear, but each match has its own story and we have a plan, let's see if it goes well," he said.Real Madrid lost to Atletico in September 2023 but has remained unbeaten in 39 La Liga matches since. "We have to avoid the mistakes of last year, that's quite obvious," Ancelotti said. "What we've learned could serve us well for tomorrow's game."Ancelotti confirmed that French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga has recovered from an injury and is fit to participate in the derby.