Gonzalo Garcia's 54th-minute header was enough to give Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Juventus at Har...

Gonzalo Garcia's 54th-minute header was enough to give Real Madrid a 1-0 win over Juventus at Hard Rock Stadium on Tuesday and book their place in the quarter-finals of the Club World Cup.The Spanish giants will face Borussia Dortmund in the last eight.It was an impressive display from Xabi Alonso's Madrid side and adding to a positive day, Kylian Mbappe made his return from illness, coming on as a 68th-minute substitute for his first appearance of the tournament.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The first half was a finely-balanced contest with Igor Tudor's Juventus starting brightly before Real ended it on top.There was an early chance for Juve's Randal Kolo Muani after clever work from Kenan Yildiz to put him through on goal, but the French forward opted for an attempted chip of Thibaut Courtois and his shot floated over the bar.The impressive Yildiz then burst through the middle and unleashed a fierce effort which deflected off Aurelien Tchouameni and flew wide.The Turin team, beaten 5-2 by Manchester City in their final group game, were moving the ball around with confidence but Real grew into the contest and they went close when Jude Bellingham forced a save out of Michele Di Gregorio from close range.Federico Valverde then tested the Juve goalkeeper from long range and Trent Alexander-Arnold whipped a low ball across the face of the goal as Madrid finished the half strongly.The interval did nothing to alter the momentum of the game with Real creating several chances -- Bellingham laid off to Valverde, whose sweetly-struck shot was just wide and then Bellingham himself brought another good save out of Di Gregorio with a shot from the edge of the box.Dean Huijsen's rocketing drive was parried out by the busy goalkeeper as Real laid seige to the Juventus goal and it was no surprise when the breakthrough finally arrived.Alexander-Arnold floated in a cross from the right which Gonzalo met with a perfectly-timed header for his third goal in four games in the tournament.Juve responded with Portuguese winger Francisco Conceicao bringing Courtois into action from a low shot the Belgian shot-stopper did well to get down to.But Real wanted to finish the contest off and Valverde tested Di Gregorio's reactions with an overhead kick before Alonso decided to introduce Mbappe to the delight of the 62,149 crowd.Juve's belief remained however and Nicolas Gonzalez flashed a 25-yard drive just wide.At the other end, Real's Turkish midfielder Arda Guler saw his crisp shot kept out by the feet of Di Gregorio, but the one goal was enough.Alonso was pleased with his team's performance, including that of Gonzalo, who he had compared to former Real great Raul but also suggested that Mbappe might be ready for a bigger contribution in the next game."I think day by day he will be better, and from now until the quarter-finals on Saturday, in 3-4 days, he will be better. We will keep watching him. I talk to him every day about how he's feeling, and well, I think he will be much better for the quarters," he said.Alonso said he was satisfied to see Real produce the necessary grit to grind out the result in the second half."We had to be patient, we had to mature into the game. We didn't score that second goal to give ourselves a bit more margin. But it is a knockout game and about it's competing in a tie. With the players and myself, you know you have to grit your teeth and do what you have to do. And in the end, we had to hold on a bit, and I'm happy about that too.Juve boss Tudor said his team became exhausted as the game developed."In the end there were 10 of them asking to be substituted, obviously you can't do that but there was an incredible tiredness," he said adding there were three main reasons."There is the tension of the game which burns energy but then there is the heat and humidity," he said also noting they were at the end of a long season.

MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - JULY 01: Gonzalo Garcia #30 of Real Madrid C.F. celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between Real Madrid CF and Juventus FC at Hard Rock Stadium on July 01, 2025 in Miami Gardens, Florida.

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Real Madrid beat Juve and march into Club World Cup quarters

Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal sent English giants Manchester City crashing out of the Club World Cu...

Saudi Arabian side Al-Hilal sent English giants Manchester City crashing out of the Club World Cup on Monday, snatching a shocking 4-3 victory in extra time in the biggest upset of the tournament so far.The match finished 2-2 at full-time but at the end of an eventful extra-time Marcos Leonardo grabbed the winner and pulled off one of the biggest wins in Middle Eastern football history.The Saudi club advance to the quarterfinals where they will face Brazilian club Fluminense, ensuring a non-European team will reach the last four.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Pep Guardiola's City had come into the game brimming with confidence after a 5-2 dismantling of Juventus in their final group game but they were upset by an Al-Hilal side full of verve and determination under new Italian coach Simone Inzaghi.City took the lead in the ninth minute and it was in controversial fashion.Rayan Ait-Nouri burst into the box and his cross took two deflections before landing at the feet of Bernardo Silva who slotted home.But the Al-Hilal players insisted that Ait-Nouri had controlled the ball with his arm and their protests intensified after the stadium screen showed the incident.But Venezuelan referee Jesus Valenzuela was unmoved by the players who delayed the re-start and urged him to check the monitor and the goal stood.City had plenty of opportunities to extend their lead before the break but a combination of poor finishing and inspired goalkeeping from Moroccan goalkeeper Yassine Bounou kept the lead at a single goal.Both Savinho and Ilkay Gundogan were denied at close-range by Bounou who then did well to tip a Josko Gvardiol header over the bar.Al-Hilal offered several reminders of their threat on the break but City had even more chances with Jeremy Doku volleying straight at Bounou who moments later reacted superbly again to keep out a Bernardo effort.<h3>City punished</h3>The question as to whether City would live to regret not converting those chances was answered within a minute of the resumption.Former City full-back Joao Cancelo's low cross was parried out by Ederson, Malcom pounced but saw his shot blocked by Ruben Dias only for the ball to loop to Marcos Leonardo to head home the equaliser.Six minutes later and City's high defensive line was exposed by a long ball from Cancelo which Brazilian Malcom raced onto and he showed power and pace as he broke away before coolly slotting past Ederson.The Saudi fans in the crowd went wild while Pep Guardiola responded immediately with a triple substitution with midfielder Rodri and defenders Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji introduced.That brought some much needed stability to a shaky backline but City needed improvement at the other end too and it came, albeit in scruffy circumstances.The Al-Hilal defence was unable to deal with a Bernardo corner and Erling Haaland pounced to steer home the lose ball and make it 2-2.City piled on the pressure as they looked for the winner but yet again Bounou proved their nemesis as he denied Akanji and Ruben Dias and even when he was beaten by Haaland, substitute Ali Lajami produced a magnificent goal-line clearance.Guardiola took off Haaland and introduced Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush as the game went into extra-time.But for all City's depth, Al-Hilal had a deep well of spirit to draw upon and just four minutes into the opening period Al-Hilal regained the lead when Kalidou Koulibaly rose superbly to meet a Ruben Neves corner with a brilliantly angled header.City responded with a goal of real quality when Rayan Cherki's brilliantly floated ball toward the back post was poked home masterfully by Phil Foden, at full stretch and from the tightest of angles.But incredibly Al-Hilal responded again to restore their lead -- Sergej Milinkovic-Savic's header was saved by Ederson but Marcos Leonardo followed in to bundle the ball over the line.City skipper Bernardo Silva said his team had paid the price for being unable to deal with Al-Hilal's counter-attacking."We scored three and could've scored five, six. It was all about controlling when we lost the ball, controlling the transitions, don't let them run, and they ran way too many times," he said."With one, two passes there was always a feeling of danger coming from them. When we allow teams to run like this we always suffer a lot, and today was the case."

Al Hilal's Senegalese defender #03 Kalidou Koulibaly (C) celebrates with teammates Saudi defender #78 Ali Lajami and Serbian midfielder #22 Sergej Milinkovic-Savic after scoring his team's third goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 football match between England's Manchester City and Saudi's Al-Hilal at the Camping World stadium in Orlando on June 30, 2025.

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Al-Hilal eliminate Man City in extra-time stunner at Club World Cup

Fluminense sent Inter Milan packing from the Club World Cup on Monday with a 2-0 win in Charlotte...

Fluminense sent Inter Milan packing from the Club World Cup on Monday with a 2-0 win in Charlotte that took the Brazilian side through to the quarter-finals.German Cano's header from close range gave Fluminense an early lead in their last-16 tie and they then withstood an onslaught from the Italian side in the second half before substitute Hercules sealed their victory late on.The Rio de Janeiro outfit, who qualified for the Club World Cup thanks to their Copa Libertadores triumph in 2023, become the second Brazilian side to make the last eight after Palmeiras had already sealed their quarter-final spot.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Captained by 40-year-old former Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea centre-back Thiago Silva, 'Flu' will now go to Orlando for a tie on Friday against either Manchester City or Al-Hilal."We knew they were not going to be easy opponents. Less than a month ago they were playing the Champions League final, but we played really well," Silva told broadcaster DAZN.It is the latest victory for a Brazilian team against prestigious European opposition at the tournament in the United States, after Botafogo defeated PSG and Flamengo got the better of Chelsea in the group stage."This is a very important victory for our fans, for all of Brazil, for my country, for South America," said Jhon Arias, the livey Colombian winger who was named man of the match."We are not only representing Fluminense but a whole continent and we are really pleased with what we are doing in this World Cup."<h3>'Not our day'</h3>Inter came to the US off the back of their 5-0 defeat by PSG in the UEFA Champions League final at the end of May and with a new coach in Cristian Chivu.They did not fully convince during the group stage despite topping their section and they found themselves trailing inside three minutes before only just over 20,000 fans at the Bank of America Stadium on another hot afternoon.A cross from the Fluminense right by Arias took a deflection off Inter defender Alessandro Bastoni and the ball then bounced awkwardly before veteran Argentine striker Cano arrived to head in through the legs of goalkeeper Yann Sommer from close range.Ignacio thought he had made it 2-0 before the interval, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.Sommer then tipped a fine curling strike by Arias around the post just after the hour mark, before Inter began to turn up the pressure in an attempt to avoid exiting the competition.Stefan de Vrij prodded wide from close range after captain Lautaro Martinez had headed down a cross, and the latter then saw a fine shot on the turn from the edge of the box come back off an upright.Martinez had also been denied by Fluminense goalkeeper Fabio moments earlier, and confirmation that it would not be Inter's day arrived in stoppage time.On as a substitute, Hercules pounced on a falling ball and drove into the box before firing low into the corner.Federico Dimarco then hit the woodwork at the other end as Fluminense held out for the victory to keep South American hopes of glory at the tournament firmly alive."We never gave in. We kept going until the end but it was not our day," Chivu told DAZN.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 30: Germán Cano of Fluminense FC celebrates his goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between FC Internazionale Milano and Fluminense FC at Bank of America Stadium on June 30, 2025 in Charlotte, United States.

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Fluminense upset Inter to reach Club World Cup quarterfinals

Paris Saint-Germain steamrollered Lionel Messi's Inter Miami 4-0 to reach the Club World Cup quar...

Paris Saint-Germain steamrollered Lionel Messi's Inter Miami 4-0 to reach the Club World Cup quarterfinals on Sunday.Miami hoped the Argentine superstar's magic could help them produce an unlikely result against his former side, but the Major League Soccer side was dismantled in Atlanta by Luis Enrique's rampant European champions.Ageing great Messi and his former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba had done well to reach the last 16 but the gulf in quality between the teams was laid bare over the 90 minutes.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Joao Neves netted twice for PSG, who benefitted from a Tomas Aviles own goal, while Achraf Hakimi was also on target.After Neves opened the scoring early on Miami resisted until PSG hit three goals in 10 minutes toward the end of the first half."We had to play a serious game, the competition is really starting and I think we played well," PSG winger Ousmane Dembele told reporters on his return from injury.Messi was the main draw, as fans chanted his name and most of the 66,000 crowd were clad in Miami's hot pink interspersed with Argentina shirts.PSG dominated from the start, with Khvicha Kvaratskhelia floating into the box and teeing up Bradley Barcola, but Miami goalkeeper Oscar Ustari thwarted him with an outstretched leg.However shortly afterwards overrun Miami right-back Marcelo Weigandt fouled Desire Doue and it led to PSG's opener.Vitinha whipped a free-kick to the back post where Portuguese midfielder Neves ran in completely unmarked, stooping to nod past Ustari after six minutes.PSG's Fabian Ruiz had a goal disallowed for offside before Miami defender Noah Allen limped off injured in a further blow for Javier Mascherano's side.With the Ligue 1 champions pressing high and keeping possession Miami found it hard to get Messi involved.The 38-year-old Argentine superstar played a superbly weighted pass down the right flank for Tadeo Allende but a rare Miami break came to nothing.Messi's intermittent interventions were not enough to hold back the Parisian tide.PSG doubled their lead in the 39th minute when veteran holding midfielder Busquets got his footwork wrong in front of his own box.Spanish compatriot Ruiz rapidly relieved him of the ball and combined with Barcola to set up Neves to tap home his second.PSG grabbed their third when Aviles deflected Doue's cross into his own net, and Hakimi netted the fourth before halftime to put PSG out of sight.The Morocco international's first effort was deflected onto the crossbar but he stayed alert at the air-conditioned Mercedes-Benz Stadium to fire home the rebound.Eight-time Ballon d'Or winner Messi lost his cool with a swipe aimed at Vitinha as the Argentine raged against the midfielder, Miami's impotence and PSG's swagger.<h3>Determined Messi</h3>Messi produced a brilliant pass for Suarez early in the second half, chipping a ball over the PSG defence, but the Uruguayan could not finish to offer Miami a lifeline.Despite the impossibility of a comeback -- there was to be no comeback like the one Luis Enrique's Barcelona managed in 2017 against PSG from four goals down in which Messi and Suarez scored -- the Argentine was determined to bow out with a bang.Messi drew a first save from PSG's Gianluigi Donnarumma after the hour mark with a low effort.Luis Enrique sent on winger Dembele for his first appearance at the tournament after a hamstring injury, but the Frenchman was rusty and imprecise.When Suarez was fouled by Lucas Beraldo on the edge of the box Messi had the chance to repeat his free-kick winner against Porto in the group stage, but his effort hit the wall.It was not to be for Messi or Miami, but their second-half performance was respectable and the defeat was by a lesser margin than the French side's 5-0 Champions League final thrashing of Inter Milan."I think we were above the expectations people had for us (at the tournament), we were the best team in our group, obviously we were facing the best team in the world playing football right now, so it was difficult," said Alba."Despite that in the first half we competed and above all we did in the second, we had more control of the game, more chances, and created more problems for PSG."PSG will face Bayern Munich or Flamengo in the quarterfinals in Atlanta on Saturday.

ATLANTA, GA JUNE 29: Inter Miami forward Lionel Messi (10) reacts after the fourth goal scored by PSG during the FIFA Club World Cup match between Inter Miami CF and Paris Saint-Germain on June 29th, 2025 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.

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Messi, Inter Miami no match for PSG in Club World Cup mauling

Chelsea defeated Benfica 4-1 in extra time in a chaotic weather-disrupted last-16 clash to book t...

Chelsea defeated Benfica 4-1 in extra time in a chaotic weather-disrupted last-16 clash to book their place in the Club World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.Christopher Nkunku, Pedro Neto and Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall scored in extra time to send Premier League side Chelsea into a quarter-final clash against Brazil's Palmeiras.Chelsea's late burst of scoring settled a game that took four hours, 39 minutes to complete at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium in North Carolina after a near two-hour weather delay.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca was left satisfied with his team's victory but slammed the delay that turned the tie into a near five-hour marathon."I think it's a joke, it's not football," Maresca said."For 85 minutes we were in control of the game. We created enough chances to win the game. Then after the break, the game changed -- for me personally, it's not football."Earlier, Chelsea had been seemingly poised for victory after Reece James' opportunistic second-half free-kick had left them 1-0 up with four minutes of regulation time remaining.But just as Chelsea began to think about their quarter-final assignment, the arrival of a storm over Charlotte triggered local safety protocols which required the game to be halted.It marked the sixth occasion during the Club World Cup that a game has been disrupted by a weather warning."If you are already suspending, six, seven, eight games it probably means there is something that is not working well," Maresca said. "Because in a football game, it's not normal to suspend the game."When play resumed just under two hours later, a revitalised Benfica grabbed an injury-time equaliser after Chelsea substitute Malo Gusto was adjudged to have handled in the penalty area following an intervention by the Video Assistant Referee.Benfica's Argentine veteran Angel Di Maria stepped up to roll in an ice-cold penalty, sending the game into extra time.An end-to-end first half of extra time saw Benfica, reduced to 10 men following Gianluca Prestianni's second yellow card at the end of regulation, threaten to take the lead as they chased an improbable victory.But instead it was Nkunku who fired Chelsea back in front, the French international bundling in from close range after Moises Caicedo's low shot squirted underneath Benfica goalkeeper Antoliy Trubin.As the game opened up, Benfica were increasingly vulnerable on the counter-attack and Chelsea pounced.Neto made it 3-1 with a nerveless finish after going clean through on goal in the 114th minute, and three minutes later Dewsbury-Hall completed the rout to send Chelsea through to the last eight.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 28: Christopher Nkunku #18 of Chelsea FC celebrates scoring his team's second goal with teammates during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between SL Benfica and Chelsea FC at Bank of America Stadium on June 28, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Chelsea score 3 goals in extra time to beat Benfica, make CWC quarters

Chelsea and Benfica's Club World Cup last-16 clash in North Carolina was halted on Saturday due t...

Chelsea and Benfica's Club World Cup last-16 clash in North Carolina was halted on Saturday due to bad weather.The game at Charlotte's Bank of America Stadium became the latest match of the tournament to be halted for poor weather, with players called off in the 86th minute while Chelsea were leading 1-0.It is the sixth time a Club World Cup match has been halted due to bad weather.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Common public safety protocols in the US mandate that outdoor sports events are suspended for at least 30 minutes when lightning is seen or thunder heard.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 28: Kerem Akturkoglu #17 of SL Benfica leaves the pitch during a weather delay during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 round of 16 match between SL Benfica and Chelsea FC at Bank of America Stadium on June 28, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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Chelsea close to victory over Benfica before weather halts play

England successfully defended their Under-21 European Championship title as Jonathan Rowe's heade...

England successfully defended their Under-21 European Championship title as Jonathan Rowe's header gave Lee Carlsey's team a 3-2 extra-time victory over Germany in the final on Saturday.The reigning champions took an early two-goal lead but were pegged back as Germany took the match to an added half-hour.Marseille winger Rowe provided the crucial moment in the 92nd minute as England secured their fourth Under-21 Euro title, moving one ahead of Germany and just one behind joint record five-time winners Spain and Italy.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>England raced into a fifth-minute lead as Liverpool midfielder Harvey Elliott collected a loose ball and calmly stroked in his fifth goal of the tournament.Carsley's side threatened to run riot as they regularly cut Germany open on the counter-attack, and Omari Hutchinson drilled in their second goal 20 minutes later after being set up by James McAtee.Manchester City midfielder McAtee almost added a third before the break but was denied by a fine save from German goalkeeper Noah Atubolu.Nelson Weiper, who also scored in Germany's group-stage win over England, dragged his team back into the contest in first-half stoppage time, powering Paul Nebel's cross into the net with a bullet header.The Germans drew level just after the hour as Nebel picked up a second ball from a corner and fired a shot past goalkeeper James Beadle with the aid of a slight deflection.Germany almost grabbed victory in injury time, but Nebel's shot came back off the crossbar.England reclaimed the lead in the second minute of extra time, as Tyler Morton's brilliant cross was headed home by fellow substitute Rowe.Germany again went within a whisker of scoring in injury time, but Merlin Roehl's thunderous strike rattled the bar as England clung on.

England's players celebrate after winning the UEFA U21 European Championship final football match between England and Germany in Bratislava, Slovakia on June 28, 2025. England successfully defended their Under-21 European Championship title in a 3-2 extra-time victory over Germany in the final.

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England defends U21 Euro crown with dramatic ET win over Germany

Chelsea are set to add England under-21 international winger Jamie Gittens to their forward line ...

Chelsea are set to add England under-21 international winger Jamie Gittens to their forward line after agreeing a deal with Borussia Dortmund, according to reports on Saturday.Sky Sports said an agreement has been reached between the clubs, who are both competing at the Club World Cup in the United States.The Blues will reportedly pay up to 65 million euros (£55 million, $76 million) for the 20-year-old, who had been in Chelsea's academy as a youth player.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Gittens eventually moved to Manchester City's academy before signing for Dortmund in 2022.He made 107 appearances for the German giants, scoring 17 goals, 12 of which came in the Bundesliga and Champions League last season.Chelsea were in the market to bolster their wide options after refusing the chance to sign Manchester United's Jadon Sancho on a permanent deal after his loan spell at Stamford Bridge.Mykhailo Mudryk also remains provisionally suspended by the English Football Association after failing a drugs test.Gittens would be Chelsea's fourth signing of the summer, joining striker Liam Delap, midfielder Dario Essugo and defender Mamadou Sarr.Brazilian rising star Estevao Willian, 18, will also join the Premier League giants after his Club World Cup campaign with Palmeiras.

EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY - JUNE 17: Jamie Gittens-Bynoe of Borussia Dortmund looks on during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group F match between Fluminense FC and Borussia Dortmund at MetLife Stadium on June 17, 2025 in East Rutherford, New Jersey.

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Report: Chelsea set to sign Dortmund winger Gittens for up to €65M

Manchester City turned on the style to seal top spot in Group G at the Club World Cup with an emp...

Manchester City turned on the style to seal top spot in Group G at the Club World Cup with an emphatic 5-2 win over Juventus on Thursday.The third straight victory for Pep Guardiola's side increases the chances of City avoiding a meeting with Real Madrid in the last 16 -- a fate that may now await Juventus.City and Juve will not know their opponent until the final pair of games in Group H conclude later on Friday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>A positive day for City saw 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri make his first start since rupturing his ACL in September and Guardiola's side, featuring several new faces, look significantly improved on the team which struggled to finish 13 points behind Premier League champions Liverpool last season.City were on top from the outset with a Bernardo Silva header forcing Juve keeper Michele Di Gregorio to save with his feet in the fifth minute.Four minutes later, Guardiola's new-look side had the lead when after a characteristic, patient build-up, Rayan Ait-Nouri split the Juve defence with a superb pass which Jeremy Doku collected and dispatched into the far corner.Juve were gifted an equaliser when City's Brazilian keeper Ederson's pass out was intercepted by Teun Koopmeiners who marched into the box and confidently fired home.Juve returned the gift though in the 26th minute when French defender Pierre Kalulu, under no pressure, turned a low cross from Matheus Nunes into his own net.A short but intense downpour just before half-time cooled the stadium down and Guardiola introduced his prolific Norwegian striker Erling Haaland at the break and it took just seven minutes for him to find the scoresheet.Tijjani Reijnders fed Matheus Nunes whose low cross found an unmarked Haaland in the middle and while it wasn't the cleanest of finishes from close range, the striker celebrated his 300th career goal.Rodri left the field in the 66th minute to applause as Ilkay Gundogan took over his role in the centre of midfield but City continued to over-run the Turin side.Haaland latched on to a long ball from Ederson and looked for fellow sub Phil Foden in the middle but put his cross beyond the England man only for Savinho to recover it and set-up Foden for a simple conversion.Savinho then made made it 5-1 when after a Haaland shot was saved by De Gregorio's feet, the Brazilian met the loose ball with a thundering drive which flew in off the underside of the bar.Juventus had created little but restored a little pride when Kenan Yildiz produced a lovely touch and clever pass to set Dusan Vlahovic free and the Serbian beat Ederson from the edge of the box."It has been a long time since we had a performance like this on and off the ball. The players were committed and we are happy to beat a top side," Guardiola said afterwards."This is just one game, but I think the players felt again what it was like to be a good team. The belief always comes from your performances, not your past," added Guardiola, who was delighted to have Rodri back at the heart of his team."We have missed him a lot. He knows exactly what he has to do with the ball, and his personality. I didn't expect him to play as many minutes. He will be ready for the next one. Everybody gave an incredible performance," he said.For Juventus it was a mauling that they will need to quickly recover from before their last 16 game."They have much stronger players than us and I'm not going to look for excuses," said Croatian coach Igor Tudor."We suffered. We weren't able to steal the ball, we were deep and we didn't play well with the ball. We paid for everything, we had to be perfect but they always arrived first to the ball," he added."This defeat does not put anything into perspective, we played against the best team in the world. I have nothing to reproach my players for, we'll take this blow, now we'll rest and move on."

Manchester City's English midfielder #47 Phil Foden (R) celebrates with teammate Brazilian midfielder #26 Savinho after scoring his team's fourth goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group D football match between Italy's Juventus and England's Manchester City at the Camping World stadium in Orlando on June 26, 2025.

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Man City trounce Juve to reach CWC knockouts with perfect record

Kylian Mbappe has accused his former club Paris Saint-Germain of moral harassment in a legal fili...

Kylian Mbappe has accused his former club Paris Saint-Germain of moral harassment in a legal filing, the Paris prosecutor's office told AFP on Thursday as it confirmed an investigation had been opened.France captain Mbappe is also embroiled in a court battle with PSG to obtain the 55 million euros ($64.4 million) in unpaid wages and bonuses he says the club owes him.Mbappe's latest grievance is related to the way he was treated by PSG at the start of the 2023-24 season, when he was made to train with players the club were trying to offload.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>He believes he was sidelined by the club after refusing to agree a new contract, a practice which has also affected other footballers and prompted the French players' union to lodge a complaint last year.Mbappe was not invited to a 2023 pre-season tour of Asia and missed the first game of that season but was later restored to the team after holding talks with the club.The 26-year-old joined Real Madrid last summer after seven seasons with PSG. He scored 256 goals in 308 games for the French club, who won the Champions League last month for the first time following the striker's departure.

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 25: Kylian Mbappe, player of Real Madrid, in action during the training ahead of their FIFA Club World Cup 2025 match at Lincoln Financial Field on June 25, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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Mbappe files harassment complaint against PSG

Liverpool on Thursday announced they had completed the £40-million ($55 million) signing of Bourn...

Liverpool on Thursday announced they had completed the £40-million ($55 million) signing of Bournemouth defender Milos Kerkez.The 21-year-old, who has penned a five-year deal, is the third major signing of the transfer window for the Premier League champions following the arrival of Jeremie Frimpong and Florian Wirtz.Germany midfielder Wirtz was signed for a club-record fee that could reportedly rise to £116 million.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>With Valencia goalkeeper Giorgi Mamardashvili joining next month in a deal done 12 months ago there will be more than £200 million of new talent present when preseason training starts.Left-back Kerkez is viewed as the long-term successor to 31-year-old Andy Robertson, who is a target for Atletico Madrid."I'm really happy," said the Hungary international. "It's a real honour for me, a privilege to come to play for one of the biggest clubs in the world, the biggest club in England. I'm just really, really happy and excited."After this, I'll go home and in my hometown enjoy a few days, and then I can't really wait to come back and put the training kit on and start to train and prepare for the season."Kerkez made 74 appearances for Bournemouth after joining from AZ Alkmaar two years ago, scoring twice."I just want to thank everyone for really showing me big love, even before it will be announced."

KIRKBY, ENGLAND - JUNE 26: (THE SUN OUT, THE SUN ON SUNDAY OUT) Milos Kerkez new signing for Liverpool FC at AXA Training Centre on June 26, 2025 in Kirkby, England.

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Liverpool sign Kerkez for reported £40M as summer spree continues

A solitary first-half goal by Daniel Svensson gave Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 win against Ulsan HD o...

A solitary first-half goal by Daniel Svensson gave Borussia Dortmund a 1-0 win against Ulsan HD on Wednesday as the Germans secured a place in the last 16 of the Club World Cup.Dortmund's second straight victory by a one-goal margin, following their 4-3 defeat of Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday, was watched by only just over 8,000 spectators in Cincinnati, among them US Vice President JD Vance and FIFA chief Gianni Infantino.It means Dortmund qualify for the last 16 as winners of Group F, while Fluminense go through behind them in second after holding off Sundowns in a goalless stalemate played at the same time in Miami.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We can be satisfied. I think our performance was better than in the first two matches," said Dortmund coach Niko Kovac.He has spoken regularly at the tournament about the difficulties posed by the searing June heat in the United States, and this was another game played in sweltering mid-afternoon conditions."We keep saying the same thing. What the boys are doing is incredible. Thirty-six degrees Celsius (96.8 degrees Fahrenheit) and 43 degrees in the stadium. This is incredible," Kovac said."Even if you just stand around it can get very taxing but I think they are doing a great job. Now we have a day off and I hope the players recover for the next match."Kovac only made two changes to his starting line-up as Karim Adeyemi and Julian Ryerson came in, while Jobe Bellingham kept his place in the team.The Bundesliga giants should have won by a greater margin on another hot day in Cincinnati, but Serhou Guirassy was denied by a good Jo Hyeon-woo save on 27 minutes.Bellingham then fizzed a volley just over from an Adeyemi cross moments later, but the crucial goal arrived on 36 minutes -- soft defending by Ulsan saw the Koreans lose possession on the edge of their own box before Bellingham teed up Svensson and the Swede fired in low on his left foot.Guirassy, who has had a prolific season, should have scored in first-half stoppage time with a header from close range which was straight at the goalkeeper.Dortmund's Gregor Kobel was then called into action on the hour mark to deny Lee Jin-hyun, while Yan Couto came close to making it 2-0 late on.Kovac's team will now play their last-16 tie in Atlanta next Tuesday and will find out the identity of their opponents later on Wednesday when Group E concludes."Now we have to leave everything on the pitch. The stakes are high. It is about prestige and money. I think we will see an increase in quality," said Kovac.Ulsan go home with three defeats from three games, while Fluminense are through, meaning all four Brazilian teams in the competition have progressed to the knockout phase.Conditions were also tough in Miami, where captain Jhon Arias flashed a shot across the face of goal and wide for Fluminense late in the first half.German Cano came close for the Rio de Janeiro side after the break, while Sundowns enjoyed more of the possession over the 90 minutes but could not get the win they needed to progress in front of a crowd of 14,312.Their exit means none of the four African clubs who came to the tournament will feature in the last 16, but Sundowns' performances mean they can go home with their heads held high."We are not happy. We had a clear objective in this match, but I am very proud of the level the players performed at," said the South African champions' coach, Miguel Cardoso."We leave and go home with our heads up because we are much stronger than we were when we came here."

CINCINNATI, OHIO - JUNE 25: Daniel Svensson of Dortmund (C) celebrating his goal with his teammate Jobe Bellingham of Dortmund (L) during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group F match between Borussia Dortmund and Ulsan HD FC at TQL Stadium on June 25, 2025 in Cincinnati, United States.

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Harvey Elliott scored twice as reigning champions England defeated the Netherlands 2-1 on Wednesd...

Harvey Elliott scored twice as reigning champions England defeated the Netherlands 2-1 on Wednesday to set up a final against Germany at the Under-21 European Championship.Lee Carsley's youngsters are bidding for a second straight title but must get past Germany, who beat France 3-0 in the second semi-final in Slovakia.Liverpool midfielder Elliott hammered home the opening goal for England shortly after the hour mark, making up for two earlier missed chances.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But Dutch substitute Noah Ohio, who played for England at Under-16 level, equalised for the Netherlands in the 72nd minute with a speculative effort from long range.Elliott, who was part of the England squad which won the tournament in 2023, had the final say with four minutes remaining, cutting inside and slotting a clinical finish into the bottom corner.Nelson Weiper volleyed Germany ahead in the eighth minute against France and Stuttgart forward Nick Woltemade turned in a rebound to double the lead on the quarter hour.Germany missed a hatful of chances to put the game to bed in the second half before Brighton's Brajan Gruda added a third in stoppage time.

BRATISLAVA, SLOVAKIA - JUNE 25: Harvey Elliott of England scores his team's second goal during the UEFA European Under-21 Championship 2025 Semi-Final match between England and Netherlands at National Football stadium on June 25, 2025 in Bratislava, Slovakia.

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A Spanish court has sent Qatari royal Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani and three of his sons to trial for...

A Spanish court has sent Qatari royal Sheikh Abdullah Al-Thani and three of his sons to trial for alleged offences committed during his management of former La Liga club Malaga, legal sources said on Wednesday.Ex-club president Al-Thani, a distant relative of Qatar's ruling family, and his children are accused of misappropriation, unfair administration and imposing abusive agreements, according to a Malaga court document dated Monday.They theoretically face prison terms if convicted for their running of the current second-division side from Andalusia that ended in relegation and financial implosion.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>Al-Thani bought Malaga in 2010 and launched the modest club into a spending spree that acquired stars including Santi Cazorla and former Real Madrid and Manchester United striker Ruud van Nistelrooy.The success was short-lived. After reaching the Champions League quarter-finals in 2013, Malaga went on to lose their stars and were relegated from La Liga in 2018 and fell to the third tier in 2023.The Covid-19 pandemic saw their finances sink into crisis, with the club placed under supervision by the Spanish tax authorities and presenting a collective redundancy plan.A court removed Al-Thani from his post as president in 2020 following a complaint submitted by a group of small club shareholders.

(FILES) This file picture dated September 19, 2010 shows Malaga CF's chairman Sheikh Abdallah Ben Nasser Al-Thani during a Spanish league football match match between Malaga C.F. and Sevilla at Rosaleda stadium. Spanish side Malaga will not be able to play in the Europa League next season after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) upheld UEFA's one-year European ban, the tribunal announced on June 11, 2013. AFP PHOTO / JORGE GUERRERO

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Report: Former Malaga owner sent to trial in Spain for alleged offences

Al-Nassr have parted company with their Italian coach Stefano Pioli, the Saudi side announced on ...

Al-Nassr have parted company with their Italian coach Stefano Pioli, the Saudi side announced on Wednesday.No official reason was given for the split after only nine months in the post but Pioli's name has been linked with joining Fiorentina for a second spell in charge of the Serie A side."Al-Nassr announces that Mr Pioli and his staff no longer coach the first team," Cristiano Ronaldo's club posted on social media.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"We would like to thank Mr Pioli and his staff for their work last season," added Al-Nassr, who finished third in the Saudi Pro League.Pioli, who guided AC Milan to the 2022 Serie A crown, only joined Al-Nassr in September 2024.Prior to his near five-year stint at AC Milan, the 59-year-old coached several other Italian sides including Fiorentina, Inter Milan, Lazio and Bologna.

Nassr's Italian coach Stefano Pioli (R) speaks with Nassr's Portuguese forward #7 Cristiano Ronaldo as he warms up ahead of the Saudi Pro League football match between Al-Nassr and Al-Fayha at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh on February 7, 2025.

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England beat India by five wickets in the first Test at Headingley after a superb 149 from opener...

England beat India by five wickets in the first Test at Headingley after a superb 149 from opener Ben Duckett helped make light of a seemingly stiff chase of 371.Below AFP Sport looks at three aspects of a gripping encounter that ended with England 1-0 up in five-match series: Tail-end runs and wickets matter<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>India became the first side in the more than 60,000 game history of first-class cricket to score five individual hundreds in a match and still lose. This remarkable feat can be explained by collapses of 7-41 and 6-31 at the end of each inningsEngland fast bowler Josh Tongue, who removed several tailenders while taking seven wickets during the match said:. "I don't mind bowling at the tail. You've got a good opportunity to take wickets. All I tried to do was to hit the pitch hard."  Pant a modern marvelRishabh Pant could yet end his career having surpassed Australia's outstanding Adam Gilchrist as the most extraordinary wicketkeeper-batsman cricket has known.His astounding audacity with the bat was on full display in Leeds as he became only the second wicketkeeper, after Zimbabwe's Andy Flower, to score hundreds in both innings of a Test match with 134 and then 118.Some of Pant's shot-making, including over the shoulder flicks, at fast bowlers has to be seen to believed, with his continued involvement in cricket a triumph after he suffered life-threatening injuries in a horrific car crash in December 2022 that kept him out of action for 15 months.KL Rahul, who made a relatively restrained 137 while Pant blazed away during the pair's fourth-wicket second-innings stand of 195, summed up the India vice-captain by saying: "I've had a few partnerships with Pant. "It's hard for us to understand his mindset. You've got to let Rishabh Pant be Rishabh Pant, there's obviously a method to his madness!"He's averaging (around) 45 in Test cricket, there's a lot of thinking behind the outrageous shots he plays."Headingley delivers againThis match joined a long list of dramatic Test encounters at Headingley, the headquarters of Yorkshire, one of the cornerstone counties of English cricket.There was the original 'Headingley miracle' of 1981, when Ian Botham scored a barnstorming 149 not out and fast bowler Bob Willis took 8-43 as England won after following on against Australia.There was the 2019 version, where current England captain Ben Stokes steered his side to a stunning one-wicket win over arch-rivals Australia with a remarkable unbeaten hundred.Headingley also staged a two-day Test in 2000 when fast bowler Andrew Caddick led Nasser Hussain's England to victory over West Indies.But visiting teams have enjoyed their fair share of Headingley heroics too, with England great James  Anderson ending a 2014 Test in tears after failing to hang on for a draw alongside century-maker Moeen Ali as Sri Lanka claimed their first series win in England.

England's Joe Root (left) and Jamie Smith celebrate following victory on day five of the first Rothesay Men's Test match at Headingley, Leeds. Picture date: Tuesday June 24, 2025.England's Joe Root (left) and Jamie Smith celebrate following victory on day five of the first Rothesay Men's Test match at Headingley, Leeds. Picture date: Tuesday June 24, 2025.

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3 things we learned from 1st Test between England, India

England captain Ben Stokes praised his side's approach after they pulled off a remarkable five-wi...

England captain Ben Stokes praised his side's approach after they pulled off a remarkable five-wicket win over India in the first Test at Headingley on Tuesday.Ben Duckett's superb 149 paved the way for England's ultimately comfortable pursuit of 371 on the last day as Stokes' men once more made light of a seemingly stiff chase with the dynamic batting that has been a hallmark of their play in the 'Bazball' era of coach Brendon McCullum.England twice conceded totals in excess of 350 in the first of this five-match series but managed to inflict late-order collapses of 7-41 and 6-31 that proved costly for India.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>"There's been a lot of skill that has contributed to us winning this Test match but our attitude as well," said Stokes. "Every session we turned up with the attitude that we could blow this match apart.This was England's second-highest fourth-innings run-chase, just behind the 378-3 they managed also against India  at Edgbaston not long after Stokes and McCullum joined forces as captain and coach."I think we're just a very simple-minded pair, me and Baz (McCullum), when it comes to cricket," Stokes said."Everyone knows what cricket is about, it's about scoring more runs than the opposition. When you strip it all back, that's it...When you're chasing totals like that, how you are in the dressing room is very important."- 'Nightmare for the opposition' -Duckett had one moment of good fortune when he was dropped on 97 on Tuesday but the 30-year-old Nottinghamshire opener was otherwise in commanding form.Together with Zak Crawley (65), he laid the foundation for victory against an India attack featuring Jasprit Bumrah, the world's number one-ranked Test bowler, with an outstanding first-wicket partnership of 188."Ducky has been incredible since coming into the team," Stokes said. "He's shown he can score runs pretty much all over the world in any conditions he's faced with."He added: "Ducky got the 149 but Zak was so, so important, too. They complement each other so well. I'm sure you could ask the opposition bowlers about why they're a nightmare when they are in for a long period."Stokes's decision to field first after winning the toss in seemingly ideal batting conditions was criticised by former England captain Michael VaughanBut all-rounder Stokes added: "It's a good job Test cricket is played over five days. You make a decision and you don't know what is going to happen."India coach Gautam Gambhir said the tourists would still stand by their plan to play Bumrah -- who, remarkably, went wicketless in the second innings at Headingley -- in just three of the five Tests to preserve his fitness following a back injury."We won't change the plans," Gambhir said after India's attack rarely threatened on the final day in Leeds. "To manage his workload is more important. Before he came on this tour, it was already decided he would play three Tests but let's see how his body turns out."There is now a break of more than a week until the second Test in Birmingham starts on July 2, with former India batsman Gambhir adding: "We haven't decided which two other Test matches he's going to play. "We absolutely have the bowling attack to take 20 wickets. We pick the squad on trust, not on hope."

England's Ben Stokes walks off the field after being caught out by India's Shubman Gill during day five of the first Rothesay Men's Test match at Headingley, Leeds. Picture date: Tuesday June 24, 2025.

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Stokes after India triumph: England knew it could 'blow match apart'

Seven-time Ligue 1 champions Lyon said on Tuesday they would appeal their relegation to the secon...

Seven-time Ligue 1 champions Lyon said on Tuesday they would appeal their relegation to the second-tier by French football's financial watchdog.At a hearing earlier in the day, Lyon were unable to convince the regulator (DNCG) to lift the restrictions it had put on the club in November."Over the past few months, we have worked closely with the DNCG, meeting all of its demands with equity investments exceeding the amounts requested," the club said in a statement." <div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>After the meeting, Lyon's president John Textor said he remained confident of avoiding the drop to Ligue 2 for next season, where the club has not played since 1989."Our liquidity situation has improved considerably," he said.American Textor took over as Lyon's majority owner in December 2022 from long-standing boss Jean-Michel Aulas, who had overseen unprecedented success at the French outfit.Textor, 59, also holds stakes in Brazilian side Botafoga, Belgian club Molenbeek. Earlier this week he sold his 43 percent stake in Premier League outfit Crystal Palace.According to the BBC, they were sold for 190 million pounds to Woody Johnson, the owner of the NFL's New York Jets.Lyon have reduced their salary bill with attacker Alexandre Lacazette and goalkeeper Anthony Lopes released.They have sold Rayan Cherki to Manchester City and Maxence Caqueret to Como.Textor said his Eagle group has also put 83 million euros into the club."Thanks to the equity contributions from our shareholders and the sale of Crystal Palace, our cash position has improved considerably, and we have more than sufficient resources for the 2025-2026 season," said the club statement.<h3>'Sadness'</h3>Lyon qualified for next season's Europa League after finishing sixth in the French top-flight.If their relegation is confirmed, they would be replaced in Ligue 1 by Reims.Lyon won seven consecutive French titles between 2002 and 2008, under Aulas. "It's a terrible blow to all those who love Lyon" Aulas said on X on Tuesday."For 36 years I made sure that such a situation could not happen."I gave everything to build a solid, respected, ambitious club that was financially healthy."Today, it's sadness that dominates. And an immense failure to understand," the 76-year-old added.Only five clubs have won Ligue 1 more often. Paris Saint-Germain hold the record with 13 titles.Lyon are set to begin their pre-season on July 7.

Olympique Lyonnais' (OL) President John Textor walks pitchside ahead of the French L1 football match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Parc Olympique Lyonnais in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France, on February 23, 2025.

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Lyon relegated to Ligue 2 due to dire financial state

Lionel Messi faces a reunion with his former club Paris Saint-Germain after his Inter Miami side ...

Lionel Messi faces a reunion with his former club Paris Saint-Germain after his Inter Miami side reached the last 16 of the Club World Cup with a 2-2 draw with Palmeiras.The Brazilian side fought back from two goals down to draw at Hard Rock Stadium, a result which secured both teams a place in the knockout stages.Goals from Tadeo Allende and Luis Suarez had Miami on course for a second surprise victory in the tournament after their win over Porto.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>But the Brazilian side struck twice in the last 10 minutes through Paulinho and Mauricio to make sure of their place in the next round.Few expected Miami to make it out of the group but they now face the European champions while Palmeiras will have an all-Brazilian encounter with Botafogo.For Messi, who celebrates his 38th birthday on Tuesday, the tie in Atlanta will see him face his former club PSG for the first time since leaving them to join Miami in 2023."It's a historic night for the MLS because we are into the best 16 teams in the world and all the MLS have to be proud of Inter Miami," said Miami coach Javier Mascherano.The result meant that Egyptian club Al Ahly and Porto were both eliminated despite producing a highly entertaining 4-4 draw at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.There were six Argentines in the Miami starting line-up which took the field in front of a large Brazilian contingent in the 60,914 crowd.The travelling fans were on their feet in the opening minutes when Gustavo Gomez powered a header goalwards from a corner but Oscar Ustari was down well to save.Miami grabbed the lead in the 16th minute when Suarez brilliantly chested a long ball into the path of the on-rushing Allende who showed pace to break clear of the Brazilian defence and then composure to fire past Weverton.<h3>'Great game'</h3>Palmeiras's tactics of sitting off Miami were not working with Messi dropping deep and linking up with Sergio Busquets and Federico Redondo as the Major League Soccer side enjoyed plenty of possession.The only chance for Palmeiras before the break came when Facundo Torres found himself in a promising position after some sloppy Miami defending but he screwed his shot wide.Messi's first real effort on goal came four minutes after the restart when he eked out just enough room on the edge of the box for a low shot but Weverton was down well.Allende threatened again when he broke down the right and flashed a shot just wide of the post and Messi drove a bouncing ball narrowly over the bar as Miami pushed for a second goal.That came in the 65th minute with the 38-year-old former Barcelona striker Suarez rolling back the years as he dribbled past two defenders and then blasted into the top corner.Top spot in the group mattered to Miami as it would have avoided the clash with PSG but it was not to be as Palmeiras earned themselves a crucial point with their late revival.Substitute Paulinho fired home in the 80th minute after a lovely reverse pass from Allan Andrade.Then, with three minutes left on the clock, Maxi Falcon's header fell straight to Mauricio who pounced on the opportunity, rifling into the far corner to make it 2-2."It was a great game from us, it's difficult to play against one of the best teams in South America," said Mascherano."Maybe at the end we had the game in our hands so the feeling is strange but before the start of the tournament if someone told me we were going to have this kind of performance against these kind of teams I would have signed for it."Abel Ferreira, the Palmeiras head coach, was highly critical of his team's opening 45 minutes but pleased with their reaction."I told them at half-time that it was impossible to do worse than what we did in the first half. We were unable to contain our opponents or put pressure on them up front. But our spirit of fighting until the end was particularly important in the second half, and we were rewarded for that," he said.

Palmeiras' Colombian midfielder #08 Richard Rios fights for the ball with Inter Miami's Argentine forward #10 Lionel Messi as he shoots but fails to score during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 Group A football match between US Inter Miami and Brazil's Palmeiras at the Hard Rock stadium in Miami on June 23, 2025.

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Real Madrid shrugged off an early red card to defeat Mexico's Pachuca 3-1 and take a big step tow...

Real Madrid shrugged off an early red card to defeat Mexico's Pachuca 3-1 and take a big step toward the knockout stage of the Club World Cup on Sunday.The result leaves Madrid, under new head coach Xabi Alonso, on top of Group H with four points while Pachuca are eliminated after two defeats.Saudi club Al-Hilal, who held Real in their opener, tied second-placed Salzburg later on Sunday.<div class="the-score-article-ad-unit"></div>The Spanish giants were in trouble after just seven minutes when Raul Asencio was shown a straight red card after he pulled down Salomon Rondon with the Venezuelan clear on goal.That left the Liga MX team sensing the chance for an upset in front of 70,248 fans at the home of the NFL's Carolina Panthers. Pachuca quickly went close when Brazilian Kenedy saw a shot parried out by Thibaut Courtois and the Belgian keeper did brilliantly to deny Alan Bautista's follow up shot.But Real were able to get a grip on the game in midfield and slow the pace down, limiting opportunities for Pachuca.It was a superbly worked team goal that provided the breakthrough for Madrid in the 35th minute.Gonzalo Garcia's clever flick released Fran Garcia down the left and he looked inside to Jude Bellingham who took the ball in his stride and then buried a left-foot shot into the corner.<figure class="article-segment--embed"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Every angle. Every touch. 🎯🔥 Jude Bellingham’s finish, exactly how it deserves to be seen. ⚽👑 Watch the <a href="https://twitter.com/FIFACWC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fifacwc</a> | June 14 - July 13 | Every Game | Free | <a href="https://t.co/i0K4eUu4lJ">https://t.co/i0K4eUu4lJ</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FIFACWC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FIFACWC</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TakeItToTheWorld?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TakeItToTheWorld</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/RMAPAC?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#RMAPAC</a> <a href="https://t.co/sy2oRQ8gz1">pic.twitter.com/sy2oRQ8gz1</a>— DAZN Football (@DAZNFootball) <a href="https://twitter.com/DAZNFootball/status/1936889612406055217?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 22, 2025</a>
</blockquote> <script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></figure>Pachuca were not disheartened though and Courtois had to be alert again to push away a low drive from the dangerous Kenedy.But two minutes before the break Real doubled their advantage when Trent Alexander-Arnold drilled a low cross in from the right and Arda Guler collected Gonzalo's deft lay-off and fired home.Pachuca created a pile of chances after the break, peppering Courtois's goal, but the Belgian was up to the task denying Brazilian substitute John Kennedy and efforts from Rondon and Bryan Gonzalez.Javier Eduardo Lopez missed the best opportunity for the Mexican side, firing wide after some sloppy defending from Madrid.The outcome was put beyond doubt in the 70th minute when Federico Valverde slid the ball home after a smart exchange with Brahim Diaz.Pachuca finally got some reward for their determined effort when Elias Montiel's shot on the turn was deflected off Aurelien Tchouameni and flew past the wrongfooted Courtois.Alonso, who tasted victory for the first time as Real coach, praised the way his team handled the early setback."We had to be defensively, for almost all the game with one player less and it became really intense for us, but we defended with a lot of sacrifice and solidarity which is what it takes," he said."We waited for our chances, so I was really pleased with the performance with a player less," he added.The Real coach said he was pleased to see his team's ability to change plan during a game."We want to have the culture that we understand situations, the structure, the context and we understand what it takes in each moment, with strong principles."I think that game intelligence gives you another edge and today I am pleased how they understood the quick change in the cooling break that we had," he added.Pachuca coach Jaime Lozano said his team had failed to make the most of the extra man."We had a great start, (but) we did not make the most of our advantage. They have the strongest players in the world and their players were amazing. Their strongest feature is that they don't need to play at their best to win any match, they were amazing," he said.

CHARLOTTE, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 22: Jude Bellingham #5 of Real Madrid C. F. celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 group H match between Real Madrid CF and CF Pachuca at Bank of America Stadium on June 22, 2025 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

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