Category: News

Atlanta United picked up three huge points at home against CF Montreal, triumphing 4-1 to book their place in the 2023 MLS Cup playoffs.

The Five Stripes had one thing on their minds heading into the clash, while the visitors were aiming to keep their postseason hopes alive with a triumph of their own. After knocking on the door for the first 30 minutes, Atlanta finally took their chances and found the back of the net twice in three minutes.

Xande Silva, who was Atlanta’s best player in the first half, was on the receiving end of a cross from Saba Lobjanidze and made no mistake from a few yards in front of goal. It was Silva’s third goal for his new club, as Lobjandize registered his fourth assist for the Five Stripes.

Moments later, the home side doubled their lead after Caleb Wiley played Silva through to Montreal’s penalty box. The 26-year-old winger dribbled around the Canadian side’s defense before going around goalkeeper Jonathan Sirois to findThiago Almada, who fired home from close range.

But the visitors responded shortly after. An over-the-top through ball played by Lassi Lappalainen caught the Atlanta backline sleeping, inspiring the Finland international to notch an assist with playing the excellent cut-back pass to Ahmed Hamdi. Hamdi’s left footed strike finished off the play, leaving goalkeeper Brad Guzan nothing to do at that point.

Atlanta went into the break up 2-1, and they came out in the second 45 searching for more.

After Montreal were trying to play out from the back, Silva’s pressing led to a loose ball that Giorgos Giakoumakis pounced on and chipped over Sirois to send the fans in Atlanta into a frenzy. The goal was disallowed at first, but after a quick VAR review, referee Rubiel Vazquez confirmed that Giakoumakis did score his 15th goal of the 2023 campaign to help Atlanta to a 3-1 lead.

Summer signing Jamal Thiare came off the bench to make his debut for Atlanta and nearly got on the scoresheet before he was brough down by Montreal’s Joel Waterman, who was already on a yellow card. However, Vazquez immediately reached into his pocket and showed Waterman a straight red card as he was the last defender.

Even though Thiare was pulled down to stop an attack, the Five Stripes prevailed and found their fourth of the game after a quick counter attack saw Thiago Almada play a cut-back pass to substitute Edwin Mosquera, who found the back of the net with a bit of a luck on his powerful strike.

Atlanta, now in fifth place in the Eastern Conference table with 49 points from 31 games played, will shift their focus on finishing inside the top four to ensure home field advantage in the postseason. On the other hand, Montreal are now in eight place in the East with 37 points and have just four games remaining to fight for their playoff spot.

GK: Brad Guzan – 7/10 – Was good with his distribution and couldn’t have done much for the conceded goal after there were doubts . Also dug deep for a huge save in the final 15 minutes.

RB: Brooks Lennon – 6/10 – The 26-year-old didn’t get involved as much with the attack as we’re used to seeing but still had a sound night.

CB: Miles Robinson – 7/10 – A solid outing for the USMNT figure and he came up with a crucial block early on to deny Montreal a chance.

CB: Luis Abram – 6.5/10 – Like Rossetto, he too has experienced a resurgence in the side since the league’s restart in mid-August.

LB: Caleb Wiley – 7/10 – Was everywhere in defense and attack, and was key in the buildup to Atlanta’s second goal.

DM: Tristan Muyumba – 7/10 – It seems as if Muyumba can do no wrong in an Atlanta shirt with his ability to win balls back and exceptional dribbling.

DM: Matheus Rossetto – 6/10 – Continues to impress with his revamped role in the middle of the park.

RW: Saba Lobjanidze – 7.5/10 – Constantly a threat down the right-wing and continues to rack up goal involvements.

AM: Thiago Almada – 8/10 – The 2022 World Cup winner had a relatively quiet first half but made his mark after scoring from close range and grabbed an assist late on.

LW: Xande Silva – 9/10 – Atlanta’s best player in the first 45, and his pressing led to an early second half goal for Giakoumakis. Racked up one goal and one assist on the night and just might be the signing of the summer in the eyes of Atlanta supporters.

ST: Giorgos Giakoumakis – 7.5/10 – Was strong in the buildup for his side and held the ball up excellently on several occasions while scoring his 15th goal of the season to remain in the Golden Boot race.

Substitutes

DM: Ajani Fortunte (71′ for Tristan Muyumba) – 6/10 – Helped shore up the midfield in the latter stages.

RW: Edwin Mosquera (71′ for Saba Lobjanidze): 7/10 – Provided a spark off the bench and got on the scoresheet in the latter stages.

ST: Jamal Thiare (83′ for Giorgos Giakoumakis) – 6.5/10 – Came off the bench for his debut and would’ve had a chance at goal if he weren’t brought down by Waterman.

LW: Tyler Wolff (83′ for Xande Silva) – 6.5/10 – In his limited time on the pitch, he showed glimpses of promise with some nice passing.

DM: Amar Sejdic (90′ for Matheus Rossetto) – N/A

Manager

Gonzalo Pineda – 10/10 – He chose Atlanta’s strongest possible XI, and outside of the conceded goal, it was a huge success.

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The return of European football means plenty of Premier League sides may be feeling the burn this Sunday.

Arsenal, Liverpool, Newcastle United, Brighton & Hove Albion and Aston Villa were all in action midweek but now face the task of refocusing their minds and bodies for the return of the Premier League.

There are five games on a blockbuster Sunday in the English top-flight, with plenty for fans to get their teeth stuck into – even if there aren’t too many games on the telly.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s Premier League fixtures.

The biggest test of the Ange Postecoglou era arrives this Sunday as he takes his Tottenham team across north London to face Arsenal.

One of the most highly-anticipated fixtures of the Premier League season, it’s a must-win game for both sides, or at least a must-not-lose game. Both sides have made fantastic starts to the new campaign and sit on 13 points from five matches, meaning we should be in for a mouth-watering clash this weekend.

Arsenal are favourites and will be buoyed by their 4-0 thrashing of PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League on Wednesday, but Tottenham have the potential to cause the Gunners plenty of problems.

For Spurs, it’s an opportunity to keep the good times rolling. Postecoglou has created the kind of harmonious atmosphere that has been missing for Tottenham over the past few years, with that feel-good factor likely hitting new heights if they can get a positive result at the Emirates.

A south coast derby of sorts will take place this Sunday as Bournemouth make the trip to Brighton in the Premier League.

The two clubs have had contrasting league campaigns so far: Brighton have won four of five matches including victories over Manchester United and Newcastle United, while Bournemouth are still chasing a first win under Andoni Iraola.

The Seagulls will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing 3-2 home defeat to AEK Athens in their first ever European match on Thursday, with Bournemouth a seemingly nice fixture to get them back to winning ways.

The Cherries managed a goalless draw with Chelsea last time out but have ridden their luck at times this season. Iraola’s side sit deep in the bottom half with just three points from five matches and a trip to Brighton is not the most ideal fixture to conjure up their first league victory of the Spaniard’s reign.

To say Chelsea’s start to the campaign has been disappointing would be an understatement. The Blues have managed just one league victory from five fairly winnable fixtures, that being a 3-0 win over newly-promoted Luton Town.

Things aren’t going to get much easier for Mauricio Pochettino when Unai Emery and Aston Villa roll into town. The Midlands club have not quite shown the consistency they did last season, suffering big defeats to Newcastle and Liverpool already, but they have shown plenty of promise in their three league victories.

The Villans won this fixture last season 2-0 and a similar scoreline wouldn’t be surprising this time around. Having said that, the quality Chelsea have at their disposal means they are still capable of blowing teams away if they’re at their best, albeit that hasn’t happened too frequently of late.

Both Liverpool and West Ham come into this game off the back of 3-1 comeback victories against relative European minnows in the Europa League in midweek. The Reds came from behind to beat LASK in Austria, while the Hammers saw off Serbian side Backa Topola on home soil.

Jurgen Klopp and David Moyes made wholesale changes to their sides on Thursday, meaning fatigue shouldn’t play too much of a role in Sunday’s clash.

West Ham will travel to Anfield full of confidence after three wins and a draw from their first five league games, including 3-1 victories over Chelsea and Brighton. However, the Irons fell short against Manchester City last weekend and could struggle at in-form Liverpool.

The Reds have won four and drawn one of their opening five and are already five points better off than they were at this point last season. Confidence will be high at Anfield, but it could prove a testing afternoon for Klopp’s side.

Newcastle had Nick Pope and some wayward Milan finishing to thank for their point at San Siro in their Champions League return on Tuesday, with Eddie Howe’s side still some way off the form they exhibited regularly last campaign.

The Magpies secured a vital point in Italy despite a subpar performance, something which should give them confidence travelling to Sheffield United. The same could be said of their 1-0 win over Brentford last weekend at St James’ Park, but they will be eager to offer a more commanding victory to their supporters this Sunday.

The Blades will still be hurting from their late defeat at Tottenham last time out after Spurs scored two goals past the 98th minute to break Sheffield United hearts. Paul Heckingbottom will need the same spirit and determination that his side showed in north London when Newcastle arrive at Bramall Lane.

Sheffield United are still searching for their first win of the new season and are now in the midst of a tough run of games.

READ 90MIN’S FULL MATCH PREVIEWS HERE

Julie Ertz played her final match with the United States women’s national team on Thursday night against South Africa, earning a 3-0 victory in what the player described as a “really good ending to say bye.”

She concludes her international career with 123 appearances for the U.S following her 2013 debut, scoring 20 goals and forming an integral part of the two World Cup-winning sides in 2015 and 2019. The midfielder recently played in her third and final World Cup, joining the 23-player roster for the 2023 tournament in New Zealand and Australia. 

But before hanging up her boots, the midfielder offered advice for those who wish to follow her path. 

“Obviously this is a monumental game for me. I’m beyond grateful to represent this crest for as long as I have. To any girl out there who dreams to be here, it’s worth it. Every part of it. I’ve enjoyed every part of this journey that I’ve have, and you guys are a big part of that. … I love this sport so much and I’m grateful to be part of the U.S. Soccer family,” she said. 

“Really excited that we scored kind of right before [I was subbed]. It just felt like a really good ending to say bye. I’ve always known I loved the sport, and in that moment, the 35 minutes left that I was blessed to have, I just could just feel it. I could feel how much I loved it. I’m so grateful.”

Ertz made an immense impact on the USWNT and players around her, inspiring Lynn Williams to describe her work ethic as “incredible”.

“She directs people every second, every moment on the field. She just shows by her work rate and her dedication to the game. We joke about it in the camp, but she’s always holding an iPad and always studying, always learning,” Williams told TNT.

“Even this morning she was doing it and we were like, ‘Julie, you’re retiring. It doesn’t matter anymore.’ But just her preparation, her dedication, and her willingness to put everything on the line for us, it’s incredible.”

Ertz previously teased the idea of hanging up her boots after the USWNT fell to Sweden in the Round of 16 on penalties, indicating it would “probably” be her last game sporting the crest. 

“As I have gotten older and become a mom, it’s clear the sacrifices of time away from my family no longer seem doable with so many factors at play,” Ertz said.

“These girls gave me a gift I could never repay and l got to live out a dream I wish for everyone: falling in love with a sport you have played your whole life and getting to share it with your son. Representing this country on the National Team has been the greatest honor. To play for the USWNT means you chase greatness every day while you wear the crest. I hope that I was able to leave an impact that reflects that.”

The midfielder kicked off her professional career in 2014, after being drafted as the third overall pick of the NWSL College draft by the Chicago Red Stars. She featured for the team for seven years before taking a quick hiatus from football and returning in 2023 with Angel City FC.

There may be only five Euro 2024 qualifiers taking place on Monday, but there are still some pivotal clashes to keep an eye on.

Robert Page’s Wales are back in competitive action, while perennial overachievers Croatia also take to the field in Group D.

Meanwhile, there are three games taking place in Group J, including a 202nd international appearance for Cristiano Ronaldo as Portugal look to continue their good form under Roberto Martinez.

Here is everything you need to know ahead of Monday’s European qualifiers.

All times are BST.

Armenia vs Croatia – 17:00

Croatia are the clear favourites to qualify from Group D and remain unbeaten in their opening three qualifying matches. An underwhelming draw with Wales was followed up by wins against Turkey and most recently Latvia, putting Croatia back in control of the group as they have two games in hand on first-placed Turkey and sit just three points behind.

Armenia will be no pushovers, though. They also have seven points, albeit from four games, with a late Turkey equaliser in Friday’s 1-1 draw potentially a big blow to their qualification chances. Getting something from their clash with Croatia is pivotal.

Latvia vs Wales – 19:45

Wales boss Page admitted he hadn’t wanted to play Thursday’s friendly with South Korea, something perhaps reflected in the 0-0 scoreline. Having said that, Page did field a strong team that included the likes of Brennan Johnson, Harry Wilson and Ben Davies, but Wales failed to find a winner.

Given Wales’ difficult start to their Euro 2024 qualifying group and the immense pressure Page is under in the managerial hot-seat, a win away at Latvia is absolutely crucial. The Gareth Bale-less era has got off to a rocky start and, despite a surprise draw with Croatia and narrow win over Latvia in their first two matches, emphatic defeats to Armenia and Turkey have put Wales in a tough position.

Wales currently sit fourth on four points, six points off group leaders Turkey with a game in hand.

Iceland vs Bosnia & Herzegovina – 19:45

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s victory over Liechtenstein has given them some hope of salvaging what has been a disappointing qualification campaign so far. Their surprisingly narrow win over the minnows has pushed them to fourth, three points ahead of Monday’s opponents Iceland.

Iceland have also found life tough in Group J, winning one and losing four of their five group games. A disheartening 3-1 defeat away at Luxembourg has all but eliminated any slim hopes they had of qualifying for Euro 2024.

The reverse fixture between the two nations will give Bosnia and Herzegovina plenty of confidence heading into Monday’s clash having swept Iceland aside in a 3-0 victory back in March.

Portugal vs Luxembourg – 19:45

Portugal have all but qualified for Euro 2024 with Friday’s 1-0 win over Slovakia maintaining their 100% record in Group J. Bruno Fernandes’ first-half strike made it five wins on the bounce and moved Portugal five points clear of Slovakia in second.

Cristiano Ronaldo will be hoping to add to his impressive tally against Luxembourg on Monday having scored 11 in as many matches against the side currently sat in third. Luxembourg shouldn’t cause Portugal too many problems given Ronaldo and co put six past them in the reverse fixture.

Slovakia vs Liechtenstein – 19:45

Probably not a clash that is going to set pulses racing, but it will be a significant one in Group J. Slovakia should be comfortable victors – Liechtenstein have lost all five of their matches with a -15 goal difference and are also the second-lowest ranked European side in the FIFA rankings – but Francesco Calzona’s side still can’t afford any complacency.

Slovakia have put themselves in a strong position to qualify with ten points from their first five games, but Friday’s defeat to Portugal means this is an absolute must-win.

READ THE LATEST EURO 2024 NEWS, PREVIEWS & PLAYER RATINGS

Luis Rubiales has confirmed that he has resigned as Spanish FA president after non-consensually kissing Jenni Hermoso during the 2023 Women’s World Cup.

Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips during the medal ceremony honouring Spain’s Women’s World Cup final win over England, with the player immediately stating after the game that she “didn’t like it”. Since the RFEF president had tried to keep hold of his position and had long refused to resign despite huge pressure to do so.

Hermoso even confirmed that Rubiales and the RFEF had asked her to make a statement with her teammates in order to alleviate pressure on the president, and that the RFEF has attempted to coerce her friends and family to force Hermoso into making a statement backing Rubiales.

The World Cup winner filed a legal complaint against Rubiales on Tuesday, and he was also recently suspended by FIFA and called out by Spain’s men’s national team for the inexplicable non-consensual kiss he gave Hermoso.

Now, Rubiales has finally confirmed his resignation from the RFEF, writing in a statement: “After the suspension from FIFA, plus all the other proceedings opened against me, it’s evident that I cannot go back to my position.

“Insisting on waiting and holding on will not contribute anything positive, not to the federation nor to Spanish football.

“I am making this decision after assuring my exit would contribute to the stability that will allow Europe and Africa to stay unite in the dream of 2030, that will allow to bring the biggest event in the world to our country.

“I have faith in the truth and I am going to do everything in my power so it prevails. The people who love me have suffered the effects of an excessive persecution, as well as many lies, but it is true that I’m the street, more everyday, the truth is being shown.”

In an interview with Piers Morgan filmed on Sunday evening, Rubiales confirmed that he made the decision to resign after talking with his family, revealing:

“[Talking with] my father, my daughters, and I spoke with them. I also spoke with some friends who are close to me. They said ‘Luis you have to focus on your dignity, to continue your life, because otherwise you are probably going to damage people that you love, the sport you love and the bid [2030 World Cup bid] that you built’.

“This was not just a question about me. This can also affect important third parties. In that situation, [resigning] is the intelligent thing to do.”

READ MORE ABOUT THE SCANDAL INVOLVING SPAIN & THE RFEF PRESIDENT