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Showing posts with the label France

UCL: Dortmund are 90 minutes from Wembley

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Borussia Dortmund 1 - 0 PSG Niclas Fullkrug scored a brilliant goal in the first half as Borussia Dortmund beat Paris St-Germain 1-0 in the first leg of their Champions League semi-final. You watch the highlights of the match in the video below. The footage is from the TNT Sports YouTube account. The German international used his right foot to bring down a long ball before firing home with his left foot to give Dortmund a 36th-minute lead. That would prove to be the only goal of the night. After a poor first half which perhaps lacked the quality of the previous night's semi final, PSG missed several chances to equalise in the second. Kylian Mbappe curled an effort off the inside of the post before Achraf Hakimi narrowly missed his chance a few minutes later. There were still opportunities for PSG to equalise and take a 1-1 draw back to Paris buf they lacked a bit of quality at times. Mbappe looked determined throughout and he clearly wants to end his time in France with PSG

UCL: PSG knock out Barcelona

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  Barcelona 1 - 4 PSG (Aggregate: 4-6) Kylian Mbappe scored twice as his Paris St-Germain side thrashed Barcelona to turn around a first-leg deficit and reach the semi-finals of the Champions League. You can watch the highlights of the match in the video below . Footage from the TNT Sports YouTube account. The French side had trailed 3-2 after the first leg but they reached the last four for the first time since 2021 after what can only be considered a chaotic encounter in Spain. PSG will face Borussia Dortmund in the semi-final after they beat Atletico Madrid 5-4 on aggregate in what was another thrilling encounter. Where did it go wrong for Barca? It was actually the Catalan side who struck first when Lamine Yamal drove down the pitch, beating Nuno Mendes and clipping over for former Leeds United star Raphinha to score. The Barcelona fans and players assumed it was all going according to plan. Things were to go very wrong in the second-half. Things started to unravel when Rona

Transfer News: French captain agrees Real Madrid move

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A potential transfer saga is potentially about to be concluded Kylian Mbappe has made the decision to join Real Madrid this summer, after informing PSG of his intention to leave when his contract expires in June. While Mbappe hasn't yet put pen to paper with Real Madrid, the agreement is likely to be formalised once it's certain that the two clubs won't face each other in the current season's Champions League.  This move comes as Mbappe stands as PSG 's top goal scorer, boasting a record 244 goals for the club. Keen to resolve his future before March, Mbappe held discussions with PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaifi on 13th February, revealing his decision to join Real Madrid. Following reports of his departure last Thursday, Mbappe was omitted from the starting lineup in Saturday's match against Nantes. Despite this, he still made an impact coming off the bench, scoring a penalty as PSG secured a 14-point lead at the summit of Ligue 1. The impending deal sees M

Champions League: Results and reaction as the competition returns

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Let's explore the key results and stories as the Champions League returned this week Lazio 1 - 0 Bayern Munich Ciro Immobile scored a penalty to give Lazio a surprising victory over Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League round of 16 tie. The penalty was scored from the spot midway through the second half after Dayot Upamecano was sent off for a foul on Gustav Isaksen. Bayern featured the likes of Harry Kane but they were unable to respond in an underwhelming display. This was another low point in a bad few days for Bayern after their poor result and performance against Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. Highlights below from TNT Sports:  Immobile Sinks 10-Man Bayern 😳 | Lazio 1-0 Bayern Munich | Champions League Round Of 16 Highlights - YouTube Paris Saint Germain 2 - 0 Real Sociedad  Kylian Mbappe put in a great performance for PSG as his side took control of their Champions League last-16 tie against Real Sociedad. Mbappe, who has reportedly requested a move to

ECQ: Straightforward night for France

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France 2 - 0 Republic of Ireland The Republic of Ireland's slim hopes of qualifying for Euro 2024 were dented as France ran out comfortable winners at Parc des Princes. Aurelien Tchouameni's stunning 19th-minute goal put the hosts ahead at the break. Substitute Marcus Thuram ensured a home victory early in the second half as the French made it five wins from five. For the Republic,  it is the third defeat in four games, leaving them fourth in the group. The chances of the Irish qualifying for next summer's finals in Germany are remote, but they must regroup quickly and look to revive their campaign against the Netherlands on Sunday. Euro 2024 Qualifying When France visited Dublin in March, Didier Deschamps' side escaped with a 1-0 win. They were put under intense pressure by a spirited Republic team, with French goalkeeper Mike Maignan in inspired form. But it was a different story in Paris with Thuram's goal taking the sting out of the game and paving the way

France: PSG almost clinch title

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 Auxerre 1  - 2 PSG Paris St-Germain are on the verge of another Ligue 1 title after two goals from Kylian Mbappe secured victory over the struggling Auxerre on Sunday. There is a big additional question that we ask at this end of this match report. What does the future have in store for PSG?  They are six points clear of second-placed Lens, and require just one point from their last two games to guarantee the title. Top scorer Mbappe netted twice in the opening eight minutes for the visitors. Lassine Sinayoko responded for Auxerre, who remain in relegation trouble. Click here to find more football news and stories from across France. Mbappe has scored 40 goals and contributed nine assists in 41 matches this season. The France international displayed great footwork as he twisted and turned in the box to create space for the opener, before bending in a sublime first-time strike two minutes later. PSG, who have won eight of the past 10 Ligue 1 titles, equalled Marseille and Saint-Et

Icons: Patrice Evra

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 It's time to explore another football icon. This time it's Patrice Evra A brief summary He is a French football coach and former professional player. Originally a forward, he mainly played as a left-back.Evra served as captain for both Manchester United and the France national team. His former manager Sir Alex Ferguson praised Evra for his leadership, also describing him as one of the best left-backs in Europe. <Click here to read about more icons> The start of Evra's career Evra was born in Senegal and arrived in Europe when he was a year old. Evra started his career with the Italian club Marsala. The following season, he joined Monza but returned to France a year later to play for Nice where he was converted into a full-back. In 2002, he joined Monaco and was part of the team that reached the 2004 UEFA Champions League Final.  Becoming a Manchester United legend Evra's performances for Monaco culminated in a move to English club Manchester United in January

Latest transfer rumours from across Europe

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As the Summer Transfer Window gets closer, let's explore some of the more interesting rumours. It's already looking like it's going to be a busy Summer.  Bayern Munich interested in Mason Mount Reports across the UK and Germany suggest that Bayern are considering taking advantage of Mason Mount’s contract stalemate at Chelsea by making a move for the England international this summer. Mount will have only one year remaining on his deal at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season. Thomas Tuchel, the newly appointed Bayern head coach and former Chelsea fan, is said to be a strong admirer of Mount.  Premier League news (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Manchester United want Harry Kane Manchester United are preparing to make an £80m bid for Tottenham and England forward Harry Kane after Richard Arnold sanctioned a potential deal. Kane has had a remarkable few months and is Tottenham's all-time highest goalscorer, as well as being the highest scorer for the England natio

ECQ: France start as they mean to go on

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 France 4 - 0 Netherlands Kylian Mbappe scored his first goals as France captain. The World Cup finalists began their Euro 2024 qualifying campaign with a fine win against the Netherlands. France were ahead after just two minutes when Antoine Griezmann curled in from Mbappe's pass. Defender Dayot Upamecano made it 2-0 six minutes later as he bundled in. Mbappe then scored again for France when he drove in, before powering home his second late on. Griezmann had reportedly been unhappy at being overlooked for the captaincy role given to Mbappe, but there were no signs of friction between the pair as they celebrated Mbappe's first of the night in the 21st minute. There is a lot of positive team spirit amongst these players.  We can also see that they have recovered from the heartbreak of losing the World Cup Final.  World Cup: Argentina triumph after classic final (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Kylian Mbappé has now scored more goals for France than Karim Benzema. He's

Ligue 1: PSG lose for the first time since March

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 Lens 3 - 1 Paris Saint Germain There was a shock result in Ligue 1. PSG lost for the first time since March as they were beaten by in-form Lens side. Second-placed Lens have lost only once in 17 Ligue 1 games this season and are now just four points behind Christophe Galtier's star-studded league leaders. Lois Openda scored one goal and set up another for Franck Haise's side. They were without Neymar, who was suspended after being sent off on Wednesday, and Lionel Messi, who continues his post-World Cup recovery. The hosts led after five minutes when Przemyslaw Frankowski volleyed into an empty net after a rebound off Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma. Hugo Ekitike quickly equalised for PSG but Openda beat defender Marquinhos and fired past Donnarumma into the bottom corner to give Lens the lead again in the 28th minute. Alexis Claude-Maurice added a third two minutes into the second half and - despite Kylian Mbappe playing the full game - the club from northern France

World Cup: Argentina triumph after classic final

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Argentina  3 - 3 France (Argentina won 4-2 on penalties) Lionel Messi finally achieved his World Cup dream  Argentina won their third crown on penalties in one of the greatest finals in the tournament's history. Argentina won the shootout 4-2 after a spectacular game which developed into the much-anticipated confrontation between the 35-year-old maestro Messi and his France opposite number Kylian Mbappe. France's own superstar scored a hat-trick but still ended up on the losing side in Qatar. Photo credit -  Joseph Hollick | Flickr   Messi looked to be securing the one major honour missing from his glittering collection in comfort as Argentina were cruising with a two-goal lead. There was then an explosive intervention from Mbappe, who scored two goals inside two minutes late on. Messi had given Argentina the lead from the penalty spot in the 23rd minute following Ousmane Dembele's foul on Angel di Maria. It made him the first player in World Cup history to score in the

World Cup: Final Preview

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This article will preview the 2022 FIFA World Cup Final We'll also explore what has been a remarkable few The 2022 World Cup in Qatar has flown by. Wedged into the middle of the European club season, it has had to. It's hard to believe that the tournament began 26 days ago, yet so much has transpired in that time, including reducing down a field of 32 to just France and Argentina, who will meet in the final. Many would have expected France to be here. Argentina having suffered an upset to Saudi Arabia in their opening game so their rally to reach a second World Cup final in eight years is more of a surprise. However, when you have Lionel Messi, can you ever really be surprised to be in contention for a major trophy? Messi v Mbappe This is maybe the greatest individual matchup we have ever had in a World Cup final. Two world-class superstars. The fact they are club teammates at PSG as well only adds to the drama.  For Messi, it would be the perfect fairy-tale ending for a World

World Cup: England's journey comes to an end

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 England 1 - 2 France Football won't be coming home for Christmas England are out of a World Cup but, this time, it was in a desperately agonising quarter-final defeat. This time, more than any other time, and against the world champions France, it felt very different. They were not outplayed. They did not retreat. Instead they lost a tie which they should have won, which they deserved to win and which will sear into Harry Kane - Harry Kane of all people - who missed the penalty kick that would have forced extra-time; Kane missed the penalty that would have confirmed him as England’s all-time record scorer, with 54 goals, one ahead of Wayne Rooney.  History beckoned but for Kane but it wasn't to be. At the end Gareth Southgate wrapped his arms around Kane but he was in another place, staring into the distance. It felt incredibly sad after a fine performance laced with controversy. It was another player that was key for France The pre-match debate centred on how England could st

World Cup: Stories from the last 16

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Let's explore some of the best stories from the last 16 of the World Cup England ease to next round despite nervy start Gareth Southgate's side survived a nervy opening in which goalkeeper Jordan Pickford made an outstanding save from Boulaye Dia to run out convincing winners with a powerful display of attacking strength. Jude Bellingham was England's star man, setting up the first goal for Jordan Henderson with a perfect cross after 38 minutes then having a hand in the second on the stroke of half-time, combining with Phil Foden as captain Harry Kane powered home his first of the tournament. This all leaves the Spurs striker just one behind Wayne Rooney's all-time record of 53 England goals and he now has the perfect stage here in Qatar to write a fresh page in the history books. World Cup: England send Wales home (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Foden was the creator once more as England wrapped the game up in the 57th minute, crossing for Bukayo Saka to show fant

World Cup moments: 98 World Cup Final

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It's time to explore some iconic World Cup moments. First up, it's a flashback to the 1998 final Background to the final  The 32 teams competed in a group stage, from which 16 teams qualified for the knockout stage. En route to the final, Brazil finished first in Group A, with two wins and one defeat, after which they beat Chile in the round of 16, Denmark in the quarter-finals and the Netherlands in a penalty shoot-out in the semi-finals. France finished top of Group C with three wins, before defeating Paraguay in the round of 16, Italy in the quarter-final, and Croatia in the semi-final.  The match itself The final took place in front of 75,000 supporters, with an estimated 1.7 billion watching on television, and was refereed by Said Belqola from Morocco. Before the match, speculation surrounded the fitness of striker Ronaldo, who was originally left out of Brazil's starting line-up, only to be restored to the team before kick-off.  Frnce dominate the early stages

UCL: Spurs qualify after a dramatic night

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 Marseille 1 - 2 Tottenham Hotspur It was a dramatic night in France Tottenham went through to the Champions League last 16 as Group D winners. They scored in stoppage time to beat Marseille. Our European adventure continues 🫡 pic.twitter.com/FokdjBO56R — Tottenham Hotspur (@SpursOfficial) November 2, 2022 Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg struck in the 95th minute to seal Tottenham's progress to the last 16 on a night when they were once heading out of the competition. Spurs only needed a draw to qualify for the knockout stage but at one point on the night, they were going out. Marseille took the lead through defender Chancel Mbemba on the stroke of half-time. European Super Football (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Clement Lenglet equalised early in the second half to put Spurs in a decent position. Towards the end of the match, Tottenham were holding on desperately late on. As Marseille pushed for the winner they needed to go through, they were caught on the break and Hojbjerg sealed

UCL: PSG on fire but Juventus are out

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It was a dramatic night in Group H of the Champions League One giant of European competition won't be playing in Europe's premier competition after Christmas. Paris Saint Germain 7 - 2 Maccabi Haifa Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe both scored two goals as Paris St-Germain thrashed Maccabi Haifa to reach the last 16 of the Champions League. Neymar and Carlos Soler also scored while Shon Goldberg scored an own goal. Messi's two goals mean he becomes the first player to score 80 goals in the group phase of the Champions League. PSG top Group H with 11 points from five games, the same as Benfica, while Juventus, who have failed to qualify, and Maccabi Haifa have three.  Highlights from  BT Sport - YouTube One YouTuber commented: "Mbappe and Messi's link-up is phenomenal. Their quick passes are insane!" Another added: "Messi is just something else, people can say whatever they want about the opposition, but football will never ever see anyone like him again.

News: Benzema is crowned world's best

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Well done Karim Benzema It was announced in a glitzy ceremony that he has won the Ballon d'Or for the first time. Benzema scored 44 goals in 46 games as he helped Real win the Champions League and La Liga in during a hugely successful 21/22 season Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo had won the award on 12 of the previous 13 occasions. Bayern Munich's Sadio Mane, who was at Liverpool in 2021-22, was second. Manchester City's Kevin de Bruyne was third. Premier League champions Manchester City, who had six nominees at the ceremony, were awarded Club of the Year ahead of Liverpool. Reaction  Vinicius Junior posted the following tweet: Karim Benzema told the media in attendance that it was always his ambition to win the Ballon d'Or. One City fan told us: "Understandable that Benzema won it. I'm sure if we win the Champions League this season, one or our players will win the award next season." Another added: A certain Norwegian forward will surely be in the run

Women's Euro 2022: Iceland out after France draw

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Iceland 1 - 1 France Iceland saw their Euro 2022 tournament come to an end, despite snatching a late draw against France as Belgium won in the other group game to claim second place in Group D. Dagny Brynjarsdottir converted a penalty in the 12th minute of stoppage time after a spot kick was awarded by the Video Assistant Referee following a tangle inside the area. However, Belgium's 1-0 win against Italy meant it counted for nothing as Iceland finished a point behind them in third place. You can watch highlights in the video below. Footage from BBC Sport.  BBC Sport - YouTube   A much-changed France side made the perfect start in this game as they took the lead after just 46 seconds when Melvine Malard struck, stroking home from Clara Mateo's pass. That scoreline was still enough to see Iceland go through, provided the other game ended goalless, but that hope was extinguished when Tine de Caigny gave Belgium victory against Italy.  A disappointing end to the tournament for

UEFA Nations League: Denmark stun France

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France 1 - 2 Denmark Andreas Cornelius scored twice as Denmark came from behind to beat holders France in the Nations League. Karim Benzema opened the scoring with a stunning effort. He cut in from the right-wing before dummying his way past three defenders and slotting in. Cornelius volleyed in Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg's ball over the top to level. The 60th-minute substitute won the game when he ran onto a long ball before firing in. This was the first time the former Cardiff striker has scored twice in an international game. What a time to do it! Denmark look like a team that are on the rise. It will be interesting to see them progress over the next few years. Both sides had several chances in a lively opening game to group A1. In the first half, Denmark's Joakim Maehle hit the outside of the post and Benzema had a goal disallowed. In between Cornelius' two goals, France's N'Golo Kante crashed a shot off the post and Denmark's Christian Eriksen forced a save