Soccer

Chelsea suffered a disappointing elimination in the FA Cup after losing 2-1 to Brighton in the fourth round. Despite dominating possession, the Blues only managed to score through an own goal. A well-executed collective play saw Kaoru Mitoma seal Brighton’s victory and send Chelsea out of the tournament. Chelsea Struggles to Score Chelsea started aggressively, creating two early chances but failing to test Brighton’s goalkeeper. The breakthrough came in the 5th minute, albeit fortuitously. Cole Palmer delivered a cross from the left, which initially seemed an easy save for Brighton’s goalkeeper, Bart Verbruggen. However, a strange bounce caused the ball to deflect off his shoulder and into the net, giving Chelsea an early lead through an own goal. Brighton responded quickly, equalizing in the 12th minute. A poorly cleared cross fell to Joël Veltman, who sent it back into the box for Georginio Rutter. The forward placed a precise header into the far post, beating Chelsea’s keeper and leveling the score. The decisive moment came in the 57th minute when Brighton orchestrated a brilliant team move. Mitoma initiated the attack from the left flank, and after a series of deflections inside the box, Rutter set him up again. The Japanese winger controlled the ball with his chest before delicately chipping it over the goalkeeper, securing Brighton’s 2-1 victory and Chelsea’s exit from the competition. Cover photo: X (@OfficialBHAFC)

Manchester United fought back to claim a 2-1 victory over Leicester City in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Goals from Zirkzee and Maguire sealed United’s place in the next round. The Foxes Took the Lead In a first half with few chances at Old Trafford, Leicester City managed to create two dangerous opportunities, unlike the hosts, who struggled to put real pressure on the Foxes’ defense. In the 42nd minute, the first goal of the match arrived when Wilfred Ndidi’s shot was initially saved by Onana’s foot, but the rebound fell to Bobby Decordova-Reid, who quickly reacted and headed the ball into the back of the net. The Red Devils Turned the Game Around Trailing 1-0, Manchester United pushed forward. Their first real warning came when a chipped shot seemed destined for the net, but Caleb Okoli intervened at the last moment, clearing the ball before it crossed the line. The ball ricocheted off the crossbar and bounced away, leading to brief protests from United players, but the defender’s clearance was perfectly timed. United continued to press, and in the 68th minute, Alejandro Garnacho broke into the box from the left wing and sent in a cross that Rasmus Højlund flicked with a backheel. The ball deflected off a defender and fell to Joshua Zirkzee, who capitalized on the rebound and fired into an open goal, as the goalkeeper was caught out by Højlund’s initial effort. You may be interested in: Liverpool Dominates and Advances to Carabao Cup Final Just when extra time seemed inevitable, in the 93rd minute, a free-kick from the left flank was floated into the box. The ball traveled a long distance, and Leicester’s defenders reacted too late, allowing Harry Maguire to rise unchallenged and head the ball home, securing a dramatic 2-1 victory for Manchester United and sending them through to the next round. Cover photo: X (@ManUtd)

Liverpool had no trouble overturning the 1-0 deficit against Tottenham in the Carabao Cup semifinals, as the Reds thrashed the Spurs 4-0 at Anfield to secure their spot in the final with a 4-1 aggregate victory. The Reds Showed No Mercy Liverpool’s onslaught began in the 34th minute after relentless attacking pressure and a previously disallowed goal for offside. Cody Gakpo opened the scoring with a well-placed shot following a precise cross from Mohamed Salah, who delivered the ball from right to left inside the box, setting up the Dutchman for a first-time finish. The second goal came early in the second half, in the 51st minute, through the man of the moment, Salah. The Egyptian converted a spectacular penalty after Tottenham’s goalkeeper fouled Darwin Núñez inside the area. Dominik Szoboszlai extended the lead in the 75th minute, finishing off a brilliant team play with an assist from Conor Bradley that left him in prime position to strike home. You may be interested in: Newcastle Crushes Arsenal to Reach Carabao Cup Final Finally, captain Virgil van Dijk sealed the victory with a signature header off a corner kick in the 80th minute, making it 4-0 and putting the match to bed. Liverpool will now face Newcastle in the EFL Cup or Carabao Cup final on Sunday, March 16, at the iconic Wimbledon. Cover photo: X (@LFC)

Pumas fell 2-1 to Cavalry FC in their Concachampions debut and will need to mount a comeback at CU on February 13 to advance to the next round. Pumas UNAM had a cold reception in Canada, as they suffered a 2-1 comeback defeat against Cavalry FC in their opening match of the Concacaf Champions Cup, formerly known as the Concachampions. Now, they will have to turn things around in the return leg at CU if they hope to move forward in the tournament. Pumas Took the Lead At Westhills Stadium, the university squad fielded a relatively alternate lineup, a decision that raised some eyebrows. However, this match also marked the debut of goalkeeper Alex Padilla, who recently arrived from Athletic Club to reinforce the Auriazul goal. The Mexican team found the net in the 44th minute when Piero Quispe unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box. The Cavalry goalkeeper managed to stop it but left a rebound that Santiago López capitalized on, slotting the ball into the net. Cavalry Turned It Around In the second half, Pumas’ defensive weaknesses became evident. Off a corner kick, Charlie Trafford positioned himself near the six-yard box and, with no Pumas defenders marking him, struck the ball high to beat Padilla and level the match at 1-1. In the 80th minute, Ali Musse delivered a cross to the far post, where Jay Herdman headed it back into the area. Tobias Warschewski controlled the ball with his back to goal, executed a brilliant turn, and fired a precise shot to complete a stunning goal, sealing a 2-1 victory for the home side. Now, Pumas will have to give it their all on Thursday, February 13, when they host the Canadian team in Mexico City. The match is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. Before that, they will take on Mazatlán this Sunday, February 9, at 6:00 p.m.

Marcelo announced his retirement from football after a successful career with 30 titles, including 5 Champions League trophies with Real Madrid and a Copa Libertadores with Fluminense. Marcelo’s Farewell In a video posted on social media, the now former full-back reflected on his football journey, highlighting his time at Real Madrid, where he became a household name. He spent 16 seasons defending the club’s colors and won an impressive 25 titles, including five Champions League trophies. He also spoke about the pride of representing his country, Brazil, in international competitions, mentioning the Olympic medals he won in 2008 (bronze) and 2012 (silver), as well as the Confederations Cup in 2013. He concluded the reflection on his career with his return to the club that saw him grow, Fluminense, with whom he won the club’s first Copa Libertadores in 2023 and the Recopa Sudamericana in 2024. Thus, one of the best attacking full-backs in recent years says goodbye to professional football at the age of 36. However, in his farewell video, Marcelo made it clear that he still has much to offer to football, so it would not be surprising to see him remain involved in the sport in a different role. It is worth noting that since the end of last year, Marcelo had been away from the pitch due to a conflict with his coach at Fluminense. While his retirement is understandable at his age, the announcement still came as a surprise. Cover photo: X (@ChampionsLeague)

Newcastle United eliminated Arsenal from the Carabao Cup with a dominant 4-0 aggregate victory, securing their place in the final. Arsenal struggled throughout the semifinal series, failing to challenge Eddie Howe’s side. Newcastle now awaits the winner of Liverpool vs. Tottenham. How Newcastle Secured the Victory At St. James’ Park, Newcastle took control from the opening whistle. Just four minutes in, Alexander Isak found the net, but his goal was ruled offside. Arsenal attempted to respond with a few half-chances, but in the 19th minute, Newcastle struck first. After an Arsenal attack that hit the post, Anthony Gordon started a counterattack, brilliantly controlling the ball before setting up Isak. The Swedish forward’s shot hit the post, but Jacob Murphy was perfectly positioned to tap in the 1-0 goal. Despite Arsenal’s desperate attempts to break Newcastle’s defense, the Magpies held firm, sitting deeper with their 3-0 aggregate lead. Second-Half Dominance Newcastle capitalized on Arsenal’s frustration early in the second half. In the 52nd minute, the Gunners made a costly defensive error. David Raya attempted to play out from the back but under pressure, Arsenal lost possession. Fabian Schär’s sliding challenge forced a turnover, setting up Gordon, who easily slotted home past a misplaced Raya to make it 2-0 on the night. From there, Newcastle managed the game expertly, while Arsenal’s late efforts lacked creativity and conviction. Newcastle Awaits Their Final Opponent With the 4-0 aggregate win, Newcastle advances to the Carabao Cup Final and now awaits the winner between Liverpool and Tottenham. The Spurs currently lead 1-0 on aggregate, setting up an intriguing second-leg showdown.

Santiago Giménez made his AC Milan debut in the Coppa Italia and provided an assist for João Félix in a 3-1 victory against Roma, as the new signings made an immediate impact. Milan Took the Lead Without Santi in the Starting XI The Mexican striker started the match on the bench, waiting for his moment to step onto the pitch for one of Europe’s biggest clubs. The first 45 minutes were dominated by AC Milan, as they imposed their style at San Siro. In the 16th minute, Tammy Abraham opened the scoring with a powerful header from a well-placed cross by Theo Hernández. Roma responded with intense attacking play, forcing Mike Maignan to make key saves. However, in the 42nd minute, Theo Hernández launched a driving run from midfield, taking advantage of a misplaced tackle by Mats Hummels before setting up Abraham, who finished calmly to make it 2-0 before halftime. Milan’s New Signings Made the Difference Roma managed to pull one back in the 54th minute through Artem Dovbyk, making it 2-1. At minute 58, both Santiago Giménez and João Félix entered the game, and just 14 minutes later, the duo combined to seal the match. In the 72nd minute, Giménez received the ball in the attacking third, took a few controlled touches, and delivered a perfect through ball to João Félix, who chipped the goalkeeper with great finesse to make it 3-1. It was a memorable debut for Santi Giménez, who impressed Milan fans with his creativity and vision, hinting at a bright future in Serie A.

Today, the second leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal between Newcastle and Arsenal takes place. The Gunners must win by two goals to level the series. The winner will face the victor of tomorrow’s Liverpool vs. Tottenham match. The semifinals of the English EFL Cup, also known as the Carabao Cup, continue today with a thrilling second-leg clash between Newcastle and Arsenal. Both teams are enjoying strong form in the Premier League, and expectations are high for an exciting match. Arsenal Must Rise to the Challenge The match, scheduled for 2:00 p.m. (Mexico City time), sees Arsenal in a must-win situation. The Gunners need at least a two-goal victory to push the series into extra time and potentially a penalty shootout, as Newcastle secured a 2-0 win in the first leg. The Magpies will aim to protect their lead from the first leg and, if possible, extend it to put their opponents in an even tougher spot. A single goal from Newcastle would force Arsenal to score at least three to level the aggregate, as the Carabao Cup no longer applies the away goals rule. The Winner Awaits Liverpool or Tottenham Once this semifinal is decided, the focus will shift to tomorrow’s match, where Liverpool and Tottenham will battle for the second spot in the final. Spurs hold a narrow 1-0 advantage heading into the decisive fixture.