Football

Emiliano Martinez, Argentina's World Cup-winning goalkeeper, has been suspended for two matches by FIFA for "offensive behavior" and "violating principles of fairplay." The Argentine Football Association (AFA) announced the ban on Saturday.Martinez, 32, was found to have violated FIFA's code of conduct when he held a replica of the Copa America trophy to his groin after Argentina's World Cup qualifier win over Chile on September 5. He had previously performed a similar action with the Golden Glove trophy for best goalkeeper after Argentina's victory over France in the 2022 World Cup final.FIFA also sanctioned Martinez for hitting a TV cameraman's camera with his gloves after Argentina's 2-1 defeat by Colombia on September 10.The AFA expressed its dissatisfaction with the FIFA ruling, stating in a statement that it "expresses its absolute disagreement with the decision taken by the FIFA disciplinary committee."As a result of the suspension, Martinez will miss Argentina's World Cup qualifiers against Venezuela on October 10 and Bolivia on October 15. Argentina currently leads the South American qualifying table with 18 points after eight matches, with Colombia trailing by just two points.Martinez's suspension highlights the ongoing debate over the appropriate boundaries of celebration in sports. While some argue that his actions were harmless and in the spirit of the game, others believe that they were disrespectful and unsportsmanlike.The incident also raises questions about the role of FIFA in regulating player behavior. Some critics argue that the organization is too quick to punish players for minor offenses, while others believe that it is necessary to maintain a level of decorum in the sport.

Borussia Dortmund staged a remarkable comeback to defeat local rivals Bochum 4-2 in the Bundesliga, overcoming an early two-goal deficit. The victory comes ahead of their crucial Champions League clash against Celtic next week.Dortmund had been humiliated 5-1 by Stuttgart the previous week, and pressure mounted on new coach Nuri Sahin when Bochum struck twice in quick succession. Matus Bero opened the scoring with a clever one-two, followed by Dani de Wit's goal after Myron Boadu dispossessed Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.However, Dortmund rallied back with a vengeance. Serhou Guirassy headed home just before halftime to reduce the deficit, and Emre Can equalized from the penalty spot after Guirassy was fouled.Dortmund then seized control of the game, with Karim Adeyemi setting up Guirassy for a clinical finish to make it 3-2. A fumble by Bochum goalkeeper Patrick Drewes allowed Felix Nmecha's shot to trickle over the line, sealing Dortmund's victory.The win lifts Dortmund to second place in the Bundesliga standings, behind only Bayern Munich. They now have 10 points from five games and will be looking to continue their resurgence in the Champions League against Celtic on Tuesday.Bochum, meanwhile, remains second-to-last in the 18-team league with just one point under new coach Peter Zeidler.

India's U20 football team put up a valiant effort but ultimately fell short against four-time champions Iran in their second group match of the AFC U20 Asian Cup Qualifiers. Despite holding their formidable opponents at bay for most of the contest, India conceded a late goal in the 88th minute, handing Iran a 1-0 victory.The Blue Colts displayed commendable resilience against a team considered among the traditional powers of Asian football. With three points from two matches, India's hopes of finishing second in the group and advancing to the tournament proper remain alive. The top teams of the 10 groups, along with the five best second-place finishers, will qualify for the AFC U20 Asian Cup 2025 in China.India, currently second in the group with a 4-2 goal difference, will face hosts Laos in their final match on Sunday. Laos lost 0-8 to Iran in their first match. Iran, with six points, remains at the top of the group.The first half was a relatively even affair, with India holding their own against their skilled rivals. The Indians created several chances to break into the Iranian territory but were unable to capitalize. Iran, on the other hand, struggled to break through India's resolute defense, with their first real opportunity coming in the 38th minute. However, striker Kasra Taheri's header went over the bar.India remained positive in the second half and continued to probe the Iranian defense. They had a strong penalty appeal turned down in the 54th minute, and Korou Singh Thingujam narrowly missed the target with a shot just before the hour mark.As Iran grew increasingly frustrated in their search for a goal, they began to exert more pressure. They won a series of corners and forced India's goalkeeper, Priyansh Dubey, into a diving save. However, the Indian resilience was finally broken in the 88th minute when substitute Yousef Mazraeh found the bottom corner of the net from inside the box.Despite the defeat, India's performance was a credit to their determination and tactical discipline. They will now look to secure a positive result against Laos in their final group match and keep their hopes of qualifying for the AFC U20 Asian Cup alive.

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."