Author: Associated Press
Barcelona scraped a 1-0 victory over relegation-threatened Leganes on Saturday, thanks to an own goal that helped preserve its lead in La Liga. In the 48th minute, Leganes’ central defender Jorge Saenz attempted to intercept a pass from Raphinha intended for Robert Lewandowski, only to accidentally deflect it into his own net, delivering the game’s lone goal. The blunder overshadowed a strong showing from the hosts, who created more scoring opportunities than the league leaders. With the hard-fought win, Barcelona now holds a seven-point advantage over Real Madrid, which faces Alaves on Sunday. Seven rounds remain in the season, including…
Inter Miami pulled off a jaw-dropping comeback, with Lionel Messi leading the charge to a 3-1 victory over LAFC and a 3-2 aggregate win in their CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday night. It was a thrilling rally that saw Messi score two goals, including the decisive penalty in the 84th minute, securing the team’s first-ever spot in the semifinals. Down 2-0 on aggregate and needing three goals to advance, Inter Miami faced an uphill battle. But Messi, ever the magician, made the impossible possible. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner’s performance mirrored the kind of clutch moments he delivered in…
Basketball legend LeBron James has made history as the first male professional athlete to have his likeness immortalized in a Ken doll. Mattel Inc. unveiled the LeBron Ken doll on Wednesday, marking the launch of the toy maker’s “Kenbassador” series. This follows last year’s debut of nine female athlete Barbies, including tennis icon Venus Williams. “As a young kid, I was fortunate to have role models who not only inspired me but also showed me what’s possible through hard work and dedication,” James said. “Now, as an adult, I understand how vital it is for young people to have positive…
For the first time in Olympic history, female athletes will outnumber their male counterparts at the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Games, thanks to a landmark victory for women’s football. In a historic move, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced that the women’s football tournament will feature 16 teams, surpassing the men’s tournament, which will have 12 teams. This shift reverses the gender imbalance seen at the Paris Olympics, where men’s football had 16 teams and women’s had 12. The IOC executive board’s decision brings the athlete quota for LA 2028 to 50.7% women and 49.3% men, with 5,333 female athletes…
Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez was met with a chorus of boos, as anticipated, when he stepped onto the pitch for his side’s Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday. As the Argentina goalkeeper began his pre-match warm-up, the Auteuil section of Parc des Princes erupted with jeers, whistles and a flurry of insults directed his way. Martinez did not respond and calmly began stretching. Martinez was the goalkeeper for Argentina when they defeated France in a penalty shootout in the 2022 World Cup final. He stood out for his shot-stopping ability but garnered even more attention…
Khvicha Kvaratskhelia’s stunning wonder goal overshadowed a brilliant curling shot from teammate Desire Doue as Paris Saint-Germain triumphed 3-1 over Aston Villa in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday. After Morgan Rogers gave Villa the lead in the 35th minute, Doue quickly leveled the score just four minutes later with his 12th goal of the season. Kvaratskhelia put PSG ahead just after the break, and Nuno Mendes sealed the win in stoppage time with a clinical finish, leaving Villa fans, including Britain’s Prince William, dejected at the Parc des Princes. “I think the result reflects the…
Luka Doncic didn’t wait for his Dallas homecoming to stir up drama. On the eve of facing his former team, the Slovenian star was ejected during the Los Angeles Lakers’ 136-120 loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder on Tuesday night. Doncic had 23 points before picking up his second technical foul and getting tossed with 7:40 left in the fourth quarter. He claimed he was jawing with a fan, but the officials saw it differently. The Thunder closed strong, outscoring the Lakers 29-12 after Doncic’s exit. “I mean, it was tough,” Doncic said. “I mean, we were right there. I…
Diego Maradona’s ex-wife and a doctor took the stand Tuesday in the trial of seven medical professionals accused of negligence in the football legend’s death, questioning why he was sent home after surgery in 2020 instead of being placed in a rehabilitation facility. Maradona, who famously led Argentina to World Cup glory in 1986, died on Nov. 25, 2020, while under home care near Buenos Aires. He was 60. “He should have gone to a rehabilitation clinic … a more protected place for him,” Mario Alejandro Schiter, who treated Maradona for two decades, told the court. “Knowing the patient, I…
Billie Jean King made history Monday as the first woman to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in the newly established sports entertainment category. She was accompanied by friends Magic Johnson and Oscar-winning actress Jamie Lee Curtis. “The important thing is, I don’t want to be the last one,” the tennis Hall of Famer told the cheering crowd. King’s star, the 2,807th on the Walk of Fame, is located near the iconic intersection of Hollywood and Vine, across from the historic Pantages Theatre. The electronic marquee proudly read, “A star for a star. Congratulations Billie Jean King.”…
Lionel Messi netted his third goal in four MLS matches this season, rifling a left-footed volley into the net to earn Inter Miami a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC on Sunday night. The strike marked Messi’s 40th goal across all competitions for Inter Miami, extending his franchise record in style during first-half stoppage time. The result keeps unbeaten Miami (4-0-2) just one point behind Eastern Conference leaders Columbus, with a game in hand. Messi’s goal tied the match three minutes after Federico Bernardeschi opened the scoring for Toronto (0-4-3). Messi had what appeared to be a goal wiped out earlier…