Vinicius treble fires Champions League holders Madrid to Dortmund comeback

Vinicius treble fires Champions League holders Madrid to Dortmund comeback
Real Madrid’s Vinicius Junior celebrates after scoring his side’s fourth goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Real Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. (AP)
Short Url
Updated 23 October 2024
Follow

Vinicius treble fires Champions League holders Madrid to Dortmund comeback

Vinicius treble fires Champions League holders Madrid to Dortmund comeback

MADRID: Vinicius Junior scored a sublime hat-trick as Champions League holders Real Madrid came back from two goals down to hammer Borussia Dortmund 5-2 on Tuesday.
After a shock stumble at Lille in their previous European match, Madrid crushed Dortmund, in a repeat of last season’s final, with a superb second half display.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side claimed a record-extending 15th Champions League crown at Wembley and, as in that match, struggled in the first half against the Bundesliga side, who went two goals up through Donyell Malen and Jamie Gittens.
However Antonio Rudiger and Vinicius pulled Madrid level with two goals in two minutes and Lucas Vazquez fired home the third after 83 minutes.
Vinicius produced a brilliant solo goal for Madrid’s fourth and slammed in the fifth as Los Blancos ended Dortmund’s 100 percent start to the competition by producing another comeback to add to a vast collection in Europe.
“We know that when we are at home, with our fans, anything can happen,” Vinicius told Movistar.
“We went in (at half-time) very quiet and just listened to the coach, we said just one thing.
“If we scored the first, we would come back once again, and we made another comeback, thanks to the fans and the whole team who gave everything.”
After midfield maestro Toni Kroos’ retirement and while trying to bed Mbappe into the team, Madrid have struggled to find balance and consistency this season.
They were frustrated for the first half an hour of the game by the visitors, unable to create clear cut openings before the game burst open.
“We have to learn from what we are capable of in this second half with high intensity and high tempo, we have to start games like that, not wait until they have scored two to react like we did,” warned Ancelotti.
“To be more balanced in terms of intensity between the first half and the second is something we have to achieve and I am sure we will do it.”
Malen opened the scoring with a cool finish after Julian Brandt won the ball back on the edge of the area and Serhou Guirassy squeezed a pass through a tight gap to find the Dutch winger.
Four minutes later Malen created the second, using his explosive pace to escape Ferland Mendy and crossing for Gittens to gleefully finish.
Madrid responded by carving open Dortmund before the break but without finding a killer finish.
Bellingham, without a goal in 10 games this season, headed straight at Gregor Kobel when he ran onto a scooped pass into the area.
The England international, facing his former club, then struck the crossbar from close range on the rebound after team-mate Rodrygo had also hit the woodwork, with Madrid fans barely able to believe they had not scored.

The hosts turned the screw in the second half and Kobel saved well at the near post from Lucas Vazquez but could not keep out Rudiger’s powerful header from Mbappe’s cross after an hour.
Two minutes later Madrid were level when Mbappe was tackled in the area but the ball fell invitingly for Vinicius to stroke home with ease.
Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin, formerly a Madrid player, took off goalscorers Gitten and Malen but his team could not keep the insatiable hosts at bay.
Madrid’s comeback was completed by Vazquez after Rodrygo did well to keep the ball from going out of play, and Vinicius added shine with his fine fourth.
The Brazilian, expected to claim a first Ballon d’Or on Monday in Paris, carried the ball forward without support and produced a lethal low finish.
Vinicius then added a fifth by bursting into the area and rifling past Kobel, also issuing a warning to La Liga leaders Barcelona who visit the Bernabeu on Saturday in La Liga.
“We’ll go for it, in our stadium, with our fans, and we will fight for everything this season like always,” added Vinicius.


Jaylen Brown sparks Celtics to 108-89 rout of Heat

Jaylen Brown sparks Celtics to 108-89 rout of Heat
Updated 9 sec ago
Follow

Jaylen Brown sparks Celtics to 108-89 rout of Heat

Jaylen Brown sparks Celtics to 108-89 rout of Heat
  • The 28-year-old shooting guard finished with seven rebounds and four assists as Boston improved to 17-4 to remain second in the Eastern Conference behind the Cavaliers
  • Timberwolves blew past an anemic Los Angeles Lakers offensive performance to romp to a 109-80 victory

NEW YORK: Jaylen Brown rattled in 29 points as the Boston Celtics got back to winning ways with a 108-89 rout of the Miami Heat on Monday.

Brown, who missed Boston’s 115-111 home defeat to Cleveland on Sunday due to illness, spearheaded a potent Celtics offensive effort against a depleted Miami lineup at TD Garden.

The 28-year-old shooting guard finished with seven rebounds and four assists as Boston improved to 17-4 to remain second in the Eastern Conference behind the Cavaliers.

Payton Pritchard once again caught the eye with a sharpshooting performance off the bench, knocking down five three-pointers from 12 attempts to finish with 25 points.

Derrick White, who also missed Sunday’s defeat to Cleveland, also impressed for the NBA champions with 19 points including five three-pointers.

Jayson Tatum added 18 points as Boston kept the scoreboard ticking over, establishing a hefty double-digit lead midway through the third quarter before cruising to victory.

The Celtics’ prowess from outside the arc was decisive, with Boston making 19-of-55 attempts from three-point range, in sharp contrast to Miami, who finished with only 8-of-35.

Tyler Herro and Jaime Jaquez Jr. led Miami’s scorers with 19 points apiece.

In Minneapolis, the Timberwolves blew past an anemic Los Angeles Lakers offensive performance to romp to a 109-80 victory.

The Lakers led fleetingly in the first quarter but were never in the contest thereafter, making just 32-of-79 attempts from the court and converting just six three-pointers from 31 attempts throughout.

Julius Randle led Minnesota with 18 points while Rudy Gobert finished with 17 points and 12 rebounds.

Point guard D’Angelo Russell topped the Lakers scorers with 20 points while Anthony Davis added 12 points. LeBron James finished with just 10 points from 4-of-16 shooting.

In Atlanta, De’Andre Hunter bagged 22 points while Jalen Johnson and Dyson Daniels added 19 points each to give the Hawks a comfortable 124-112 win over the New Orleans Pelicans.

Atlanta’s fourth straight victory helped them improve to 11-11 for the season.

The Pelicans, meanwhile, remain bottom of the Western Conference after stumbling to their ninth consecutive defeat.

In Chicago, the Bulls powered to a 128-102 drubbing of the Brooklyn Nets thanks to 21 points from Nikola Vucevic and a triple double from Australian star Josh Giddey, who posted 20 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists.


NBA: Timberwolves blow out Lakers 109-80 behind Randle, Gobert and tough defense

NBA: Timberwolves blow out Lakers 109-80 behind Randle, Gobert and tough defense
Updated 25 min 45 sec ago
Follow

NBA: Timberwolves blow out Lakers 109-80 behind Randle, Gobert and tough defense

NBA: Timberwolves blow out Lakers 109-80 behind Randle, Gobert and tough defense
  • Julius Randle scored 18 points and Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves

MINNEAPOLIS: Julius Randle scored 18 points and Rudy Gobert had 17 points and 12 rebounds to lead the Minnesota Timberwolves past the Los Angeles Lakers 109-80 on Monday night.
Naz Reid and Nickeil Alexander-Walker each scored 15 for the Wolves (10-10), who limited the Lakers to their lowest point total since a 122-73 loss at Dallas in 2017, according to Sportradar.
Anthony Edwards had only eight points on 3-for-13 shooting for the Wolves, but his Olympic teammates LeBron James and Anthony Davis were just as quiet for the Lakers (12-9).
James, who has missed 19 straight 3-pointers, had 10 points on 4-for-16 shooting. Davis had 12 points and 11 rebounds. D’Angelo Russell scored 20 in his return from illness and to the starting lineup.
After beating Utah 105-104 on Sunday, the Lakers traveled another time zone east to face a team they beat 110-103 in the season opener behind 36 points and 16 rebounds from Davis.
Takeaways
Lakers: Rookie coach J.J. Redick assessed his team at the quarter mark of the season “uneven and inconsistent.” The Lakers’ fifth loss in their last seven games didn’t even clear that bar.
Timberwolves: With the defense locked in, Minnesota’s other priorities are reviving its transition game and 3-point shooting. Both boxes were checked. The Timberwolves went 15 for 35 from deep and had 20 fast-break points.
Key moment
Gobert, the four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, was plenty disruptive against Davis and the Lakers. Gobert stole an inbounds pass from Max Christie for a rare fast-break dunk late in the third.
Key stat
The Wolves held their opponent under 100 points for the second straight game and fourth this season. In 2023-24, when they led the league in scoring defense, they held opponents to double digits 23 times.
Up next
The Lakers play at the Miami Heat on Wednesday, when the Wolves visit the Los Angeles Clippers.


Mollie Marcoux Samaan stepping down as LPGA commissioner after 3 1/2 years of record prize money

Mollie Marcoux Samaan stepping down as LPGA commissioner after 3 1/2 years of record prize money
Updated 03 December 2024
Follow

Mollie Marcoux Samaan stepping down as LPGA commissioner after 3 1/2 years of record prize money

Mollie Marcoux Samaan stepping down as LPGA commissioner after 3 1/2 years of record prize money
  • Marcoux Samaan is leaving on Jan. 9, three weeks before the LPGA begins its 75th season
  • The LPGA said prize money increased by more than 90 percent under Marcoux Samaan, a big part of that the major championships

NEW YORK: Mollie Marcoux Samaan is resigning in January as LPGA commissioner, a surprise announcement Monday after record growth in prize money along with criticism the LPGA wasn’t gaining in popularity during the surge in women’s sports.

Marcoux Samaan is leaving on Jan. 9, three weeks before the LPGA begins its 75th season. Liz Moore, the chief legal and technology officer, will be interim commissioner until a search committee hires a new one.

Marcoux Samaan did not cite a specific reason for resigning except to mention spending more time with her three children. She will serve the third-shortest stint among nine LPGA commissioners dating to 1975, behind only Jim Ritts (1996-99) and Bill Blue (1988-90).

“With the LPGA positioned for continued growth, it’s time for me to have more time to cheer on our three amazing children as they live their dreams while I continue to pursue my passion for building leaders, uniting communities and creating value through sports, particularly women’s sports,” Marcoux Samaan said in a statement.

The LPGA said prize money increased by more than 90 percent under Marcoux Samaan, a big part of that the major championships. The five majors had a combined prize fund of $23.4 million in 2021. Next year, the majors combine to offer at least $47.8 million in prize money.

She announced the end of her tenure a week after the season-ending CME Group Tour Championship awarded $4 million to the winner, Jeeno Thitikul, from an $11 million purse.

“Since joining the LPGA in 2021, Mollie has been instrumental in solidifying our position as the global leader in women’s professional golf, realizing record growth in player earnings and fan engagement,” said John B. Veihmeyer, chairman of the LPGA board. “Mollie has been a steadfast advocate for equity in the sport and has worked tirelessly to expand opportunities for women and girls through the game.”

The LPGA said the average earnings for the top 100 players topped $1 million this year, compared with an average of just over $570,000 in 2021.

Women’s sports across the landscape has seen a spike in money and interest, though Marcoux Samaan was criticized for the LPGA not getting enough attention behind remarkable story lines this year. Nelly Korda tied an LPGA record with five straight wins, and Lydia Ko won Olympic gold to qualify for the LPGA Hall of Fame, and then won another major at the Women’s British Open at St. Andrews.

The Americans also won the Solheim Cup, but not without a transportation mess on the opening day at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Club in Virginia when there were not enough buses for spectators and many of them waited hours before they could get in, missing the opening tee shots that typically feature packed grandstands and raucous cheering.

Marcoux Samaan pointed to growth in defending her job when some of the criticism was raised at the season-ending tournament.

“I focus every day on trying to support the athletes, to try to grow the tour, and to try to make this the best place in the world to play and to give additional opportunities to girls and women. So I feel like the statistics really speak for themselves,” she said at the Tour Championship.

“I think we’re experiencing enormous growth. That’s really what my job is.”

Along with huge increases in earnings, Marcoux Samaan announced full subsidized health care for the LPGA for the first time in its history. She also was behind stipends for missing the cut and domestic travel in a bid to make sure players were adequately compensated.

Official prize money for the LPGA in 2025 is $127.5 million.

Terry Duffy, the chairman and CEO of CME Group, signed a two-year extension of the LPGA deal. In an interview with Golfweek, he gave Marcoux Samaan high marks.

“I don’t know how you could not give A++ to where the tour is at today under her leadership,” Duffy said. “I run markets. I don’t care if you’re running a business at a hardware store or an exchange or professional golf, there’s ebbs and flows to everything in life and everything in business. ... If you’re worth more today than you were 10 years ago or three years ago, you’re doing the right things.”

Marcoux Samaan was the ninth commissioner — and second female commissioner — when she left her role as athletic director at Princeton. Marcoux Samaan replaced Mike Whan, who took over in 2010 when players revolted and ousted Carolyn Bivens.

Whan brought high energy and a big personality during his 11 years, making him the longest-serving LPGA commissioner in history.

The LPGA board will work with an executive search firm to conduct a global search for the organization’s next commissioner.


Man United open FA Cup title defense at Arsenal and Man City to play ‘Class of 92’-owned Salford

Man United open FA Cup title defense at Arsenal and Man City to play ‘Class of 92’-owned Salford
Updated 03 December 2024
Follow

Man United open FA Cup title defense at Arsenal and Man City to play ‘Class of 92’-owned Salford

Man United open FA Cup title defense at Arsenal and Man City to play ‘Class of 92’-owned Salford
  • The standout match features the competition’s two most successful teams, with Arsenal having won the trophy 14 times compared to United’s 13
  • The third round will take place around the weekend of Jan. 11-12 and sees the 44 clubs from the Premier League and second-tier Championship enter the competition

LONDON: Manchester United will start their FA Cup title defense with a trip to Arsenal in a third-round draw containing a host of intriguing English Premier League vs. lower league matchups.

Among the best were Tamworth, one of only two non-league clubs in the draw, getting to host Tottenham and Manchester City at home to Salford City — the team owned by members of Man United’s famed “Class of 92” such as Ryan Giggs and Gary Neville.

Accrington Stanley, in sixth-to-last place in fourth-tier League Two, face a daunting trip to Premier League leaders Liverpool at Anfield. Chelsea, meanwhile, will host Morecambe, which are bottom of League Two.

The standout match features the competition’s two most successful teams, with Arsenal having won the trophy 14 times compared to United’s 13. Arsenal last lifted it in 2020 while United beat City in a second straight Manchester derby in the FA Cup final last season.

The third round will take place around the weekend of Jan. 11-12 and sees the 44 clubs from the Premier League and second-tier Championship enter the competition, joining the 20 lower-league and non-league sides who won in the previous round.

Draw:

Southampton vs. Swansea

Arsenal vs. Manchester United

Exeter vs. Oxford United

Leyton Orient vs. Derby County

Reading vs. Burnley

Aston Villa vs. West Ham

Norwich vs. Brighton

Manchester City vs. Salford

Millwall vs. Dagenham & Redbridge

Liverpool vs. Accrington Stanley

Bristol City vs. Wolverhampton

Preston vs. Charlton

Chelsea vs. Morecambe

Middlesbrough vs. Blackburn

Bournemouth vs. West Bromwich Albion

Mansfield vs. Wigan

Tamworth vs. Tottenham

Hull vs. Doncaster

Sunderland vs. Stoke

Leicester vs. Queens Park Rangers

Brentford vs. Plymouth

Coventry vs. Sheffield Wednesday

Newcastle vs. Bromley

Everton vs. Peterborough

Wycombe vs. Portsmouth

Birmingham vs. Lincoln

Leeds vs. Harrogate

Nottingham Forest vs. Luton

Sheffield United vs. Cardiff

Ipswich vs. Bristol Rovers

Fulham vs. Watford

Crystal Palace vs. Stockport


Messi, Ronaldo only World XI nominees from clubs outside Europe as voted by players

Messi, Ronaldo only World XI nominees from clubs outside Europe as voted by players
Updated 03 December 2024
Follow

Messi, Ronaldo only World XI nominees from clubs outside Europe as voted by players

Messi, Ronaldo only World XI nominees from clubs outside Europe as voted by players
  • The 37-year-old Messi and 39-year-old Ronaldo were the only players not with clubs in Europe to be voted on a 26-man shortlist for the world team of the year
  • FIFPRO said the final team will include the highest-polling goalkeeper, plus each of the top three vote-getters among defenders, midfielders and forward

HOOFDDORP, Netherlands: Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo are still popular and respected by their fellow players even though they no longer play for European clubs.

The 37-year-old Messi and 39-year-old Ronaldo were the only players not with clubs in Europe to be voted on a 26-man shortlist for the world team of the year organized by global players’ union FIFPRO on Monday.

The other 24 nominees played in the past year with clubs in England, Germany, Spain and France, though Kylian Mbappé was the only French connection after spending last season at Paris Saint-Germain.

No player from any Italian club was selected, nor from any club in South America or Africa.

Eight players from Real Madrid, including Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham were on the shortlist, plus seven from Manchester City including Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, Kevin De Bruyne and Erling Haaland.

Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old from Barcelona who was the breakout star of Spain’s European Championship title, also made it in polling by union members worldwide.

Messi, in Major League Soccer with Inter Miami, and Ronaldo, in Saudi Arabia with Al-Nassr, will find out on Dec. 9 if they are in the World XI lineup.

FIFPRO said the final team will include the highest-polling goalkeeper, plus each of the top three vote-getters among defenders, midfielders and forward. The final place goes to the outfield player with the next highest votes total.

The Netherlands-based union said 28,000 players from 70 countries sent votes.

Goalkeepers: Ederson (Manchester City, Brazil), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa, Argentina), Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich, Germany).

Defenders: Dani Carvajal (Real Madrid, Spain), Ruben Dias (Manchester City, Portugal), Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool, Netherlands), Jeremie Frimpong (Bayer Leverkusen, Netherlands), Antonio Rudiger (Real Madrid, Germany), William Saliba (Arsenal, France), Kyle Walker (Manchester City, England).

Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England), Kevin De Bruyne (Manchester City, Belgium), Phil Foden (Manchester City, England), Toni Kroos (Real Madrid, Germany), Luka Modrić (Real Madrid, Croatia), Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich, Germany), Rodri (Manchester City, Spain), Federico Valverde (Real Madrid, Uruguay).

Forwards: Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England), Kylian Mbappe (Paris Saint-Germain/Real Madrid, France), Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina), Cole Palmer (Manchester City/Chelsea, England), Cristiano Ronaldo (Al-Nassr, Portugal), Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid, Brazil), Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain).