Sports

Messi’s Multi-goal Streak Ends As Cincinnati Beats Miami 3-0

Published

4 months ago

July 17, 2025

Lionel Messi’s Major League Soccer-record streak of multi-goal games ended at five on Wednesday as his Inter Miami squad was blanked 3-0 at FC Cincinnati.

The 38-year-old Argentine star forward had scored a brace, two goals, in five consecutive matches for Miami, giving him 16 goals on the season as Inter managed four wins and a draw in the run.

Not since 2012 when he played for Barcelona had Messi netted a brace or more in five consecutive matches.

But Cincinnati kept Miami to only two shots on goal in the contest.

“Clearly today we were outplayed from the beginning of the match,” Inter Miami head coach Javier Mascherano said through a translator.

“It was very difficult for us to win the individual duels. Maybe one of the reasons is that physically we come with a very big hustle and bustle and in the long run we end up paying.

“Leo suffered a knock at the end but it ended well.”

US 20-year-old midfielder Gerardo Valenzuela opened the scoring for Cincinnati in the 16th minute.

Brazilian striker Evander followed with a goal in the 50th minute and struck again in the 70th to provide all the scoring the hosts needed.

“We didn’t play the game we wanted. They put us under pressure all the time, we weren’t fresh or lucid and they beat us very well,” Mascherano said.

Miami fell to 11-4 with five drawn for 38 points, fifth in the Eastern Conference and eight points adrift of first-place Philadelphia, the overall MLS leader which beat Montreal to stay one point ahead of Cincinnati in the overall MLS standings.

Inter Miami has three games in hand on both clubs but would need to win them all to overtake their rivals for the overall league lead.

“The opponent outplayed us from start to finish,” Mascherano said. “The result and the way they beat us obviously worries us. Now we have to rest and think about the next game.”

That will come on Saturday when Miami will visit the New York Red Bulls, who got two goals each from Cameroon’s Eric Choupo-Moting and Sweden’s Emil Forsberg in a 5-3 home win over New England on Wednesday.

– De Paul to join Miami –

A source close to negotiations told AFP on Wednesday that Inter Miami has agreed on terms with Argentine international Rodrigo De Paul, a midfielder for Atletico Madrid.

The deal is for the next four seasons with De Paul to play the remainder of 2025 in Miami on loan from Atletico Madrid with a subsequent purchase option for Inter worth more than $12 million.

De Paul could play for Miami for the first time on July 30 against Mexican side Atlas in Inter’s debut match in the Leagues Cup, a tournament between MLS and Mexican League clubs.

He will leave Europe after four seasons in Madrid to join countryman Messi 11 months before the World Cup to be hosted by the US, Canada and Mexico.

Messi has not said if he will play in the World Cup.

De Paul and Messi were teammates on Argentina’s 2022 World Cup champions and reuniting them could help entice Messi to sign a new contract with Inter, whose deal with the superstar expires at the end of this year.

The club wants Messi to stay for the 2026 season, in which Inter will open a new stadium in Miami.

DePaul, 31, joins a Miami core that includes Messi, Uruguayan Luis Suarez and Spaniards Jordi Alba and Sergio Busquets.

Charlotte was named host city for the 2026 MLS All-Star Game on Wednesday. This year’s all-star matchup will be in Austin, Texas, next Wednesday with the MLS All-Stars facing the Mexican League All-Stars.

Sports

UCL: Why I Snubbed Move To Real Madrid – Saliba

Published

21 hours ago

November 3, 2025

Editor

Arsenal defender, William Saliba, has revealed why he turned down a move to Real Madrid.

Saliba recently put pen to paper on a contract extension with the Gunners.

The Frenchman has now claimed he wants to win silverware with the Premier League side, before he can think of leaving the Emirates.

“Of course it’s really tempting when a club like that is interested in you.

“But I wanted to win titles at Arsenal first before thinking about anything else,” Saliba told Telefoot.

Saliba might get his wish this season, as Arsenal look well on course to end their two-decade wait for the league title.

Mikel Arteta’s men are six points clear at the top after 10 matches.

Sports

UCL Matchday 4: Liverpool Host Real Madrid, Bayern Face PSG, Other Fixtures

Published

1 day ago

November 3, 2025

Editor

The league phase of the 2025/26 UEFA Champions League hits its halfway mark on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Matchday 4 arrives with drama scripted across Europe.

Eighteen games, countless storylines, and a stage where heroes, heartbreak, and history are never far apart.

From Anfield to Paris, Turin to Prague — the world’s greatest club competition enters its next act.

These preview details were obtained from the UCL website on Monday.

1. Liverpool vs Real Madrid

A rivalry defined by glory and grief — from Kyiv to Paris to Anfield’s famous nights.

Last season, the Reds finally broke their curse, a 2-0 victory ending an eight-game winless run against Los Blancos. Now, Jürgen Klopp’s men return to Anfield, chasing a 16th straight European home win — an Anfield fortress roaring under the lights.

Mohamed Salah stands on the brink of greatness: two goals from becoming the first African player to reach 50 in the Champions League. Across the pitch, a familiar face wears white now — Trent Alexander-Arnold, the Scouser turned Galáctico, facing the Kop for the first time.

Madrid’s own prodigy, Jude Bellingham, could rewrite history too. At 22 years and 128 days, he’s set to become the youngest ever player to make 50 Champions League appearances — eclipsing Iker Casillas, the symbol of Madrid’s golden past.

It’s not just a match. It’s memory, emotion, and destiny colliding.

2. PSG vs Bayern Munich

Paris have lost just two of their last 41 home Champions League group stage games, and the Parc des Princes is again a fortress. But Bayern are serial conquerors, with 13 wins in their last 15 meetings against French opposition.

All eyes will be on Ousmane Dembélé, who’s lived every twist of this rivalry — scorer, provider, even villain. He faces his old Bundesliga tormentors with something to prove. Meanwhile, Lucas Hernández meets his former teammates after switching red for blue.

At the other end, Harry Kane continues his European rampage — 11 goals in his last ten UCL appearances — while Joshua Kimmich eyes his 100th Champions League match for Bayern, joining legends Müller, Neuer, Lahm, and Kahn in elite company.

It’s a battle of old foes and new ambitions — with the scent of late drama thick in the Paris air.

3. Slavia Praha vs Arsenal

In Prague, memories of 2021 linger — when Arsenal crushed Slavia’s quarter-final dreams with a 4-0 rout.
Four years later, the Czech champions seek payback on home soil.

Slavia have found their scoring rhythm — goals in 26 of their last 27 European home games — but face an Arsenal side in imperious form. The Gunners are unbeaten in ten against Czech clubs, with seven straight UCL league-phase wins.

Gabriel Martinelli has found the net in all three of Arsenal’s group games — and the Brazilian’s fearless energy has made him Mikel Arteta’s symbol of this new Arsenal: vibrant, ruthless, relentless.

History favors the Gunners — but Slavia’s home spirit, under the lights of Eden Arena, makes this more than a formality. It’s redemption, reimagined.

4. Juventus vs Sporting CP
In Turin, it’s about legacy.

Juventus, chasing their 500th European Cup goal — the first Italian team to do so — meet Sporting CP, winless against Italian opposition since 2011.

The Bianconeri have stumbled on the continental stage lately — only two wins in their last 11 European games — and must rediscover their old ruthlessness. Sporting, ever daring, have scored in 19 straight group-stage matches, and will not come quietly.

For both sides, this isn’t just a fixture. It’s a test of belief.

Elsewhere Across Europe on Tuesday:

Tottenham vs Copenhagen
Napoli vs Frankfurt
Atlético Madrid vs Union Saint-Gilloise
Bodø/Glimt vs Monaco
Olympiacos vs PSV Eindhoven
PUNCH Online reports that the remaining games will take place on Wednesday.

Pafos vs Villarreal and Qarabağ vs Chelsea kick off early.
Ajax vs Galatasaray
Club Brugge vs Barcelona
Inter vs Kairat
Man City vs Dortmund
Newcastle vs Athletic Club
Marseille vs Atalanta
Benfica vs Leverkusen. Also reports that only five teams have maintained a perfect start winning all three games from the previous match days.

Sports

Okpebholo Bags SWAN Governor of the Year Award

Published

6 days ago

October 29, 2025

Editor

National Leadership of the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) has named the governor of Edo State, Senator Monday Okpebholo, as the Distinguished Governor of the Year in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of sports in Nigeria.

The award will be formally presented to the governor on Friday, October 31, during SWAN’s 60th Diamond Jubilee Anniversary.

Edo State Chairman of SWAN, Comrade Kehinde Osagiede, disclosed this on Tuesday in Benin when he led members of his executive on a courtesy visit to the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua.

Osagiede said the visit was aimed at officially introducing the Edo SWAN Executive — which assumed office about a year ago — to the commissioner and to strengthen collaboration between the association and the state government.

“Governor Monday Okpebholo was carefully selected for this honour because of his remarkable contributions to sports development in Nigeria within his first year in office.

“We also came to congratulate you, Mr. Commissioner, on your well-deserved appointment, and to inform you, as the spokesperson of the state government, about the forthcoming award to the governor,” he said.

He further assured that the Edo SWAN chapter would continue to collaborate with the state government to promote sports development across the state.

In his response, the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Prince Kassim Afegbua, thanked SWAN for the recognition accorded Governor Okpebholo and for its support towards sports promotion in Edo State.

Afegbua, who disclosed that the governor was currently on official duty in Ekiti State, promised to brief him about the honour.

He urged sports journalists in the state to give balanced and positive coverage to the activities of Bendel Insurance Football Club, Edo Queens, and other sporting programmes initiated by the state government.

“The Edo State Government will continue to partner with SWAN to advance sports development in the state,” the commissioner assured.