Karim Benzema scored in the 89th minute to earn Real Madrid a dramatic 3-2 win at home to LaLiga s bottom side Huesca in Zinedine Zidane s second match since his return.
With Luka Modric, Toni Kroos, Raphael Varane, Marco Asensio, Vinicius Junior and Dani Carvajal all out, Luca Zidane started in goal and Brahim Diaz made his full league debut for Madrid.
Huesca took an early lead against the understrength side named by the senior Zidane, with Cucho Hernandez beating the coach s son, but Isco equalised before half-time.
Dani Ceballos put Madrid in front before captain Xabier Etxeita equalised for Huesca, but a shock was averted as Benzema produced an excellent late strike to give Zinedine Zidane two wins from two.
FT: 3-2
25 , 62 , 89 Hernán…
Germany s 1-0 loss to Mexico was a shock scoreline, but the history of the tournament shows World Cup holders often struggle under the pressure of being champions.
Hirving Lozano s fine first-half finish gave Mexico one of the most famous results in the country s footballing history in Moscow on Sunday.
Germany will still be expected to recover and progress from Group F, but Joachim Low s side will have to perform much better in their remaining games against Sweden and South Korea.
The last three World Cup holders have all failed to win the first game of their defence. We have picked out five of the worst performances from defending champions.
3 This is the third consecutive World Cup in which the reigning champion has failed to win their opening match �…
Michael Carrick has suggested that this could be his final season with Manchester United, .
The midfielder’s current deal with the Red Devils expires at the end of the season, and he will turn thirty-six soon after though he is certain he can still make a key contribution.
Since signing from Tottenham Hotspur in the summer of 2006, he has racked up four hundred and twenty-seven games in all competitions, scoring twenty-four times and winning a host of major honors.
He has five Premier League winners medals and has also tasted success in both domestic cups and played in the 2008 Champions League victory over Chelsea and scored in the penalty shoot-out.
Internationally, he was capped thirty-four times and was part of the squads that attended the 2006…
Paris Saint-Germain goalkeeper Alphonse Areola is being linked with a summer move to AS Roma, L’Equipe has suggested.
The France international has been in excellent form during the loan spell with Villarreal, but he will now be returning to Parc des Princes at the end of the season.
And since everything suggests that Kevin Trapp will remain the first choice, Areola will not be too keen on staying with the Saints.
Reports from France claim that AS Roma could offer the 23-year-old an escape route from Paris Saint-Germain as they need a new shot-stopper due to the fact that Wojciech Szczesny is set to return to Arsenal.
A season-long loan is the most likely scenario, since the Saints will not be interested in selling one of Europe’s most talented goalk…
Eddie Howe is hopeful that Newcastle United can bring in a new signing soon after their resounding 4-1 win over Urawa Reds in Japan on Wednesday.
Alexander Isak opened the scoring early on before Rio Nitta levelled for the J. League side. Nick Pope then saved a penalty before Jacob Murphy scored a brace, netting either side of half-time.
Lewis Hall then rounded off the scoring just after the hour mark to ensure Newcastle made it two wins from two in pre-season.
Howe was keen to protect his players during the game as Isak was removed early on, but he was also forced to play Joelinton in defence for the final 10 minutes without a ready replacement.
Newcastle are looking to expand their squad depth, and when asked about transfer plans, Howe gave a small hint…
Cameron Carter-Vickers is the latest Tottenham Hotspur player to sign a new deal with the club, .
The eighteen year old has been with the North London outfit since 2009 and made their senior debut in last week’s 5-0 EFL Cup third round victory over Gillingham, having previously captained their U18 and U23 sides.
Internationally, he has won nine caps for USA’s U23s having also represented them at U18 and U20 levels.
Spurs have been busy tieing down a number of their younger players to new contracts with Eric Dier, Danny Rose, Christian Eriksen and Dele Alli also committing their future to the club.
Having lost their opening Champions League fixture, Mauricio Pochettino’s side bounced back with victory over CSKA Moscow on Tuesday evening and they…
Ex-Inter stars Walter Samuel and Diego Milito will watch Manchester United versus Stoke City as guests of their former boss Jose Mourinho on Sunday.
The duo were influential figures in Mourinho s treble-winning Inter side of 2009-10, with Milito scoring all the goals in the respective 1-0 and 2-0 triumphs over Roma and Bayern Munich in the Coppa Italia and Champions League finals.
Mourinho is in the early stages of trying to build comparable success at United and he warmly praised both men in his programme notes for the match.
I am very happy to say that I have two special guests at Old Trafford this afternoon and I cannot let their visit pass without saying a few words about them, he wrote.
They are Diego Milito and Walter Samuel, two of my players fro…
Best Odds: 7/10
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Two sides battling it out in the chase to clinch top spot in Group G, Eintracht Frankfurt will welcome PAOK to Germany on Thursday night.
Eintracht Frankfurt
Starting with the hosts, marking their return from November’s international break with a downbeat performance on home soil, Eintracht Frankfurt will certainly be seeking an immediate response here. Eventually suffering a 2-1 loss at the hands of Stuttgart, the Eagles also watched their stellar seven-match unbeaten run come to an abrupt end. Nevertheless, despite opening up the 2023/24 campaign in the midst of an inconsistent wobble, Dino Toppmoller’s side have punched their Europa Conference League knockout stage ticket with plenty of time to spare. However, facing what could…
Bouncing back after a torrid start to December, Salford appear to be refinding their form at what could be a crucial time. Arguably the most notable outfit in England s fourth-tier, Head Coach Graham Alexander saw his side once again catch the eye with a thumping 4-1 win away at Oldham over the weekend. With their illustrious owners demanding yet another play-off charge in their debut Football League campaign, the Reds are enjoying a three-match unbeaten run and find themselves sat six points adrift of the top-seven opening the New Year. However, also making a statement by picking up a 3-1 win against third-place Crewe on Boxing Day, one starlet who has continued to enjoy a purple patch of late is 21-year-old Brandon Thomas-Asante. Bagging a brace against Oldham over the weekend, the fo…
Kalvin Phillips has hailed Jude Bellingham as an amazing talent , and says England s strength in depth can only help them across the rest of the World Cup.
The Manchester City man made his tournament debut off the bench in the Three Lions final Group B match, notching an assist as Gareth Southgate s side ran out 3-0 winners over Wales.
For Phillips, an injury doubt ahead of Qatar 2022, his Euro 2020 starting berth has been filled by Borussia Dortmund teenager Bellingham, who is now the second-youngest England player to amass 20 caps after Wayne Rooney.
But the 26-year-old is more than happy to reap the success of his team-mate, suggesting the sky could well be the limit for his growth with the national side.
I knew a few years ago that Jude would be a ma…