Connect with us

Sports

Messi Snatches Win For PSG After Neymar’s Injury Blow

Published

on

 

Lionel Messi scored a 95th-minute free-kick to give Paris Saint-Germain a 4-3 win over Lille in an extraordinary Ligue 1 game on Sunday in which Kylian Mbappe scored twice but Neymar was taken off on a stretcher with an ankle injury.

Messi’s late winner came after PSG had squandered a two-goal lead and fallen 3-2 behind, with Mbappe grabbing a late equaliser before the Argentine’s stunning strike.

The result ends a run of three straight defeats for PSG and moves them seven points clear at the top from Monaco, who beat Brest 2-1 away later in the day.

However, Marseille can move back up to second place, and to within five points of the leaders, with a win at Toulouse on Sunday evening before they host PSG next weekend.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Messi Hits Winner As PSG Come From Behind

We came through it. It wasn’t a great performance,” Mbappe told broadcaster Amazon Prime.

“We made lots of mistakes and lost concentration too often and against a quality side you pay dearly for that, but we showed that even when we are not at our best and the context is not exactly favourable we are a different team with different players and we can always find a way.”

Of immediate concern to the Parisians is the injury to Neymar, who looked to be in tears as he was helped onto a stretcher early in the second half after turning his right ankle.

The Brazilian’s fitness is now likely to dominate headlines in the run-up to next week’s Marseille showdown but also the second leg of PSG’s Champions League last-16 tie against Bayern Munich on March 8.

– Ankle injury –

Advertisement

‘Ney’ has sprained his ankle. We will see how serious it is. We don’t know yet — he is undergoing tests at the moment,” said PSG coach Christophe Galtier, who also saw left-back Nuno Mendes come off in the first half with an ankle ligament injury that the coach insisted “doesn’t seem too serious.”

I hope ‘Ney’ is going to come back quickly because he is an important player for us,” added Mbappe about his Brazilian teammate.

Galtier’s team were looking to bounce back from a 1-0 home loss to Bayern in the first leg of that European tie and they went ahead early on against Lille through Mbappe, making his first start after returning from a recent thigh injury.

Neymar soon made it 2-0 against a side PSG beat 7-1 in their last meeting in August, but Bafode Diakite pulled one back for Lille midway through the first half.

The home side then saw Neymar carried off within five minutes of the second half starting, and Lille drew level when Jonathan David converted a penalty for his 17th goal this season following a Marco Verratti foul in the box.

Jonathan Bamba made it 3-2 to the away side with a superb finish and the home side looked set for a fourth successive loss before Mbappe converted from a Juan Bernat assist with just three minutes remaining.

Advertisement

That was his 27th goal this season in all competitions, but it was not the end of the drama as Messi won a free-kick when he was fouled just outside the area by Benjamin Andre.

READ ALSO: Messi Names Most Difficult Game In His Career For Argentina

The World Cup winner stepped up to dispatch the dead ball into the net off the post to round off a remarkable game.

Monaco beat PSG last weekend before a 3-2 victory away to Bayer Leverkusen in the first leg of their Europa League play-off on Thursday.

The principality side went in front late in the first half against Brest through Aleksandr Golovin, and a rare goal from Dutch forward Myron Boadu doubled their lead, with Jeremy Le Douaron pulling one back.

Rennes, who lost to Shakhtar Donetsk in the Europa League in midweek, moved back above Lille into fifth by beating Clermont 2-0, with ex-PSG forward Arnaud Kalimuendo scoring both their goals.

Advertisement

There were also wins for Lorient and Montpellier, while Strasbourg moved out of the relegation zone on Saturday by beating bottom side Angers 2-1 in their first game under new coach Frederic Antonetti.

Fellow strugglers Auxerre beat Lyon 2-1 on Friday, while Nice and Reims drew 0-0.

AFP

Advertisement
Comments

Sports

Why We Lost Against Mali – Finidi George

Published

on

By

Super Eagles interim coach, Finidi George has provided insights into why his team lost to the Eagles of Mali in an international friendly match held in Marrakech, Morocco.

Super Eagles interim coach, Finidi George has provided insights into why his team lost to the Eagles of Mali in an international friendly match held in Marrakech, Morocco.

The Super Eagles suffered a 2-0 loss to Mali on Tuesday, with Finidi attributing the defeat to costly errors made by his team.

The Enyimba gaffer rued the missed chances in the game, but applauded the boys for their dominant performance.

READ ALSO: PHOTOS: Nike Unveils Super Eagles 2024/25 Jersey

Advertisement

Finidi George said, “It was not a bad game. Good intensity. We created a couple of chances, but we could not score. And in games like this, if you don’t score, and make mistakes, you will be punished. Lost one. We were not outplayed.

“In the first game as well, we did so well. I would have loved a different result, but that’s not the case. If you look at the performance of the players, it is commendable.”

The Super Eagles will now shift their attention to the June 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers against South Africa and Benin Republic.

Continue Reading

Sports

Messi Reveals When He’ll Retire From Football

Published

on

By

Iconic Argentine footballer, Lionel Messi, recently discussed retirement on the Big Time Podcast, shedding light on his future plans as he navigates the twilight of his career.

Since joining Inter Miami in the summer of 2023, Messi has contributed 16 goals and seven assists in 19 appearances across competitions.

However, the 36-year-old has also grappled with injury issues, leading to concerns about his longevity in the sport.

Reflecting on his retirement plans, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner emphasized his self-awareness, acknowledging that he evaluates his performances critically.

READ ALSO: Messi Hits 500 League Goals As Inter Miami Cruise Past Orlando

Advertisement

Messi expressed his readiness to step away from the game when he feels he can no longer perform at his best or derive enjoyment from playing, regardless of his age.

“I am very self critical of myself, I know when I’m good, when I’m bad, when I play well and when I play badly. When I feel it’s time to take that step, I will take it without thinking about age,” Messi said.

“I know that moment I feel I am no longer ready to perform, that I am no longer enjoying myself or helping my teammates.”

Continue Reading

Sports

Brazil’s Gabigol Handed Two-year Ban For Anti-doping ‘Fraud’

Published

on

By

Flamengo’s international forward Gabriel Barbosa was suspended for two years on Monday for attempted fraud during a doping test, a Brazilian sports court said.

Known as Gabigol, the 27-year-old Brazilian was alleged to have been uncooperative during a surprise doping test at club headquarters in Rio de Janeiro.

The punishment, which can be appealed, is backdated to April 8 last year, when the events occurred.

He failed to comply with the schedule, disrespected the doping officers and refused to obey instructions, local media said.

READ ALSO: Court Dismisses Suit Seeking To Stop Elections, Examinations On Saturday

Advertisement

“The aforementioned athlete was tried today by the Full Court of Sports Anti-Doping and, by majority, it was decided that a violation of the anti-doping rule of fraud had occurred,” the court said in a statement sent to AFP.

Gabigol subsequently hit back on social media, saying “I never tried to obstruct or defraud any test.”

I am confident I will be found innocent at the highest court,” he added.

Flamengo said in a statement it would support its player and assist with his appeal “because there was no type of fraud”.

READ ALSO: Three Feared Killed In Delta Auto Crash

On the testing day, Gabigol’s teammates underwent testing in the morning while he ignored a request to be present and attended after lunchtime, according to the accusation.

Advertisement

When he finally arrived to be tested, he reportedly became upset because an officer escorted him to the bathroom.

Furthermore, he did not respect the sample collection protocol, according to the accusation.

A key figure in Flamengo’s 2019 domestic league and Copa Libertadores titles, Gabigol has consistently denied having tried to cheat in the test.

READ ALSO: VIDEO: Nigerian Lady Set To Drive From London To Lagos

“The Flamengo player has confirmed that the test has been carried out and the result was negative,” his lawyer said in December, when the allegations first surfaced.

“In view of this information, there is nothing that could compromise or violate the protocol,” the lawyer added.

Advertisement

Gabigol had disappointing spells at Portugal’s Benfica as well as at Inter Milan in Italy having come through Santos’ academy, before joining Flamengo in 2019.

His return to form for Flamengo earned him call-ups to the Brazil squad and he made the last of his 18 international appearances in January 2022.

Gabigol’s contract with Flamengo expires in December.

 

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending