Soccer

With a last-minute goal, Tottenham secured a narrow victory over Liverpool in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal. The return leg is scheduled for February 6. Tottenham snatches dramatic win in Carabao Cup semifinal first leg against Liverpool Tottenham earned a hard-fought victory in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinal against Liverpool. With an 86th-minute goal, the Spurs took a 1-0 lead in the tie, though the game disappointed some fans who were expecting a high-scoring match like the thrilling nine-goal showdown between these teams less than a month ago, which Liverpool won 6-3. A head injury overshadowed the game’s start The match at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium began with a concerning incident. Following a corner kick that ended in a brilliant save by Alisson Becker, Rodrigo Betancur attempted a diving header. The Uruguayan launched himself toward the ball but missed, and the momentum of his dive combined with the twisting motion of his neck caused him to land hard on the pitch, with his head hitting the ground directly. Betancur remained on the field for 10 minutes as medical staff attended to him before he was stretchered off and subsequently hospitalized. Tottenham later announced that the player was stable and conscious but would undergo further medical tests to rule out any serious risks. Chances but no goals in the first half The game resumed with both Spurs and Reds creating dangerous opportunities throughout the remainder of the first half, including the 11 minutes of stoppage time added due to Betancur’s injury. Liverpool closed the half strongly, appearing on the verge of scoring. A late goal sealed the match The second half followed a similar pattern, with both teams attacking and Liverpool looking the more likely to score. However, Tottenham delivered the decisive blow in the closing minutes. After an earlier goal by Dominic Solanke was disallowed for offside in the 75th minute, the Spurs executed a brilliant four-pass sequence starting from their goal. It culminated in a Solanke assist to Lucas Bergvall, who moved into a central forward position, entered the box, and fired a near-post shot that found the back of the net in the 86th minute. You may also like: Newcastle defeats Arsenal in the first leg of the Carabao Cup semifinals With this result, Tottenham will head to Anfield for the second leg with a slight one-goal advantage. The return match is scheduled for February 6.

With goals from Valverde, Camavinga, Modric, and a brace from Arda Güler, Real Madrid cruised past Deportiva Minera to secure their spot in the Copa del Rey Round of 16. Real Madrid faced no significant challenges in this Round of 32 matchup against Deportiva Minera, a fourth-division Spanish side. The match concluded with a dominant 5-0 victory for Los Blancos, who registered 33 shots, 21 on target, compared to just four attempts and one shot on goal from their opponents. Madrid Dominates the Pitch The goals at Estadio Cartagonova came early and often. Federico Valverde opened the scoring just five minutes into the game, followed by Eduardo Camavinga’s strike in the 13th minute. Arda Güler shone with a brace, scoring in the 28th and 88th minutes, while Luka Modric added the fourth goal in the 55th minute. Notably, this match marked Modric’s first-ever goal in the Copa del Rey, a surprising milestone considering the Croatian midfielder’s more than a decade-long tenure with Real Madrid. Although Real Madrid started the match with a relatively rotated squad, stars like Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Jr. entered the pitch during the final stages. However, their presence was not crucial, as Deportiva Minera failed to threaten Madrid throughout the match. Spanish Super Cup: Madrid’s Next Target With this emphatic victory, Real Madrid advances to the Copa del Rey Round of 16 and now shifts focus to their next challenge: the Spanish Super Cup. On Thursday, January 9, they will face Mallorca in Saudi Arabia, aiming to secure a spot in the final and claim their first title of 2025.

AC Milan Stages Comeback Against Inter to Win 3-2 in Extra Time and Claim Their Eighth Italian Super Cup, Matching Inter’s Record An electrifying Derby della Madonnina unfolded as AC Milan overcame a 2-0 deficit to secure a 3-2 victory over Inter in extra time. With this triumph, the Rossoneri were crowned champions of the Italian Super Cup, claiming their eighth title to equal Inter’s tally. Inter Took Early Control The match at Al-Awwal Park began evenly, with both teams creating chances. However, Inter’s attacking threats appeared more dangerous as they pushed into AC Milan’s territory. This pressure paid off just before halftime. In the 45+1’, a play down the left flank culminated in a cross that reached the right side of the box, where Lautaro Martínez, assisted by Mehdi Taremi, cut inside to evade a defender. With the goal in sight, the Argentine fired a low shot into the near post to give Inter a 1-0 lead. Early in the second half, at the 47th minute, a long ball from Stefan de Vrij found Taremi, who anticipated the Milan defense and went one-on-one with goalkeeper Mike Maignan. The Iranian striker’s precise finish doubled Inter’s lead to 2-0. AC Milan’s Response When it seemed like Inter was poised to dominate the remainder of the match, AC Milan found a lifeline. In the 52nd minute, Theo Hernández executed a superb free kick from the edge of the box, driving a low, powerful shot into Yann Sommer’s near post. Despite his dive, the Inter keeper couldn’t stop the ball, reducing the deficit to 2-1. Buoyed by the goal, the Rossoneri surged forward in search of an equalizer, creating clear opportunities that were thwarted by Inter’s defense and Sommer’s saves. The equalizer finally came in the 80th minute. A move initiated by Milan’s goalkeeper reached Rafael Leão, who delivered a pinpoint through ball to Theo Hernández. The Frenchman advanced to the byline and sent in a precise cross that found Christian Pulisic. The American controlled the ball near the penalty spot with his back to the goal and, in a stunning half-turn, struck a powerful, angled shot past Sommer to level the score at 2-2. Abraham’s Decisive Goal With both teams pressing for a winner, Pulisic delivered a moment of brilliance. In the dying moments of extra time, he played a perfectly weighted pass from three-quarters of the field that broke through Inter’s defensive line. Leão latched onto the ball near the left corner of the six-yard box and whipped in a cross that Tammy Abraham slotted home with ease. Inter’s defense was caught flat-footed, helpless to stop the Englishman from sealing the 3-2 victory and snatching the Super Cup trophy from their grasp. AC Milan’s Eighth Super Cup Triumph This victory marked AC Milan’s eighth Italian Super Cup title, equaling Inter’s record and avenging their 2023 final loss, where Inter had defeated them 3-0. The Rossoneri now stand alongside their city rivals at the pinnacle of Italian Super Cup success.

Goalkeeper Alex Padilla arrived in Mexico City in the early hours of Tuesday morning to undergo medical tests with the Pumas team, in order to become the first reinforcement for the universitarios for the upcoming Clausura 2025 season. The goalkeeper, who comes from Athletic Club, with whom he recently renewed his contract until 2029, will arrive at the Pedregal team on loan for one season, where Padilla expressed his desire to play for UNAM in an interview with the media at the airport: “When I get the opportunity to defend Pumas, I don’t think about it,” said the Mexican goalkeeper. Although it is expected that, after the medical tests to be carried out today, the club will announce the signing between today and tomorrow, it seems complicated that Alex will make his debut this Sunday, January 12, when Pumas receives Necaxa, so it is very likely that the Auriazules will make their debut in this new tournament with a substitute in goal, hoping that Alex Padilla will join the CU team as soon as possible, this after having broken relations with their first two goalkeepers from last tournament, Julio Gonzales and Gil Alcala.

Liverpool and Manchester United shared points after a thrilling 2-2 draw in the English Derby. The “Reds” remain league leaders, while the “Red Devils” sit 13th. Liverpool and Manchester United delivered an intense and highly entertaining English Classic, resulting in a 2-2 draw. With this outcome, Liverpool stays at the top of the Premier League with 46 points, six points ahead of Arsenal, while Manchester United remains in 13th place with 23 points. Scoreless First Half Despite the lack of goals in the first 45 minutes at Anfield, the excitement was palpable as both teams created a couple of dangerous chances, setting the stage for a goal-filled second half. Manchester Struck First The second half kicked off with high energy, and in the 52nd minute, the visitors scored the opening goal. Following a long-ball clearance attempt by Trent Alexander-Arnold, Lisandro Martínez intercepted the ball, played it to Bruno Fernandes on the left wing, and continued his run. Fernandes returned the favor with a perfectly timed through ball, and Martínez unleashed a powerful shot that hit the crossbar and bounced into the net. Liverpool Turned the Tables In the 59th minute, Cody Gakpo equalized for Liverpool. After a cleared free kick, the Reds recovered possession and reignited their attack on the left flank. Gakpo took control at the edge of the box, cut inside, and unleashed a powerful shot into the far corner of the net, scoring a stunning goal. At the 70th minute, Liverpool’s star of the season, Mohamed Salah, stepped up. After a handball by De Ligt was confirmed via VAR, Salah confidently converted the penalty, marking his 18th goal of the season and putting Liverpool ahead 2-1. Manchester United Salvaged the Draw With just 10 minutes left, the “Red Devils” launched an attack down the left wing. Alejandro Garnacho sent in a cross before reaching the goal line, finding Amad Diallo in the center of the box, who slotted it home to secure a 2-2 draw.

With a solitary goal by Ousmane Dembélé at 90+2′, Paris Saint-Germain defeated Monaco in the Super Cup final. This game took place in Doha, Qatar, at the 974 Stadium, where although PSG was insisting with arrivals throughout the game, it was not until stoppage time that Fabian Ruiz sent a low cross from the left that ran through the large area, to the boots of Dembélé, who only pushed the ball into the open goal. With this victory, PSG won the French Super Cup for the third time and their thirteenth title of this kind, being the most winners of this tournament. You may be interested in: Arsenal drew with Brighton and dropped points Cover image: X (@tdc_qatar)