Connect with us

Sports

Vinicius To Miss Argentina World Cup Qualifier Due To Injury

Published

on

Brazilian attacker Vinicius Junior will miss Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Argentina with an injury to his left thigh, national team officials said after he limped off against Colombia.

The 23-year-old Real Madrid star “underwent imaging exams that confirmed an injury to his posterior left thigh muscle,” the Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said Friday in a statement.

It said Vinicius, a key piece of Brazil’s attacking arsenal, had been ruled out of next week’s match against arch-rivals and 2022 World Cup champions Argentina in Rio de Janeiro.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Fairness Doctrine’ Most Important Doctrine In Journalism Ethics – Ekpu

Vinicius had earlier said the outlook was not good for him to be fit to face Argentina.

Based on what the doctors have told me, it will be a bit difficult,” he said after Brazil went down 2-1 in Barranquilla on Thursday.

Advertisement

Vinicius left the field in the 27th minute of the World Cup qualifier against Colombia, with his side leading 1-0.

I think it’s the same injury as before. I felt a pain at the back of my thigh,” he said.

The Brazilian star missed a month of action after he injured his right thigh at the end of August in a league match for Real Madrid.

Advertisement

READ ALSO: Student Blames Fatigue As OAU Lecturer Slumps, Dies

He missed Brazil’s first two South American qualifying matches against Bolivia and Peru in September.

Brazil take on Argentina, who top the qualification standings, on Tuesday in Rio’s Maracana Stadium.

Advertisement

The home side, in fifth place, are already without goalkeeper Ederson, defender Danilo, midfielder and captain Casemiro and star attacker Neymar, all through injury.

Sports

PSG To Play First Intercontinental Cup Final In December

Published

on

European Champions League winners Paris Saint-Germain will play their first-ever Intercontinental Cup final in Doha, Qatar, on December 17, FIFA announced on Sunday.

Their opponents will only be determined four days earlier in the final playoff, called the Challenger Cup.

This will pit Egyptian club Pyramids, the African champions, against the winner of the match between Central American champions Cruz Azul from Mexico and the future winner of the Copa Libertadores.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Ballon d’Or: PSG Win Best Team Of The Year

The South American tournament is currently in the semi-final stage and includes two Brazilian sides.

Palmeiras are up against LDU Quito of Ecuador, while Flamengo take on the Argentinian side Racing.

Advertisement

The Copa Libertadores final takes place on November 29.

READ ALSO:Ligue 1: PSG Captain Marquinhos Out With Thigh Injury

From 1960 to 2004, the Intercontinental Cup pitted the champions of Europe and South America against each other.

Advertisement

In 2005, it was renamed the Club World Cup to include other continental champions, but that competition was relaunched this year as a quadrennial tournament featuring 32 teams, with Chelsea as the inaugural winners of the new format.

The Intercontinental Cup was relaunched in its new form last year when Real Madrid beat Mexican club Pachuca.

AFP

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Sports

La Liga: Barca Beat Real Sociedad 2-1 As Yamal Returns

Published

on

Lamine Yamal returned from injury to help Barcelona beat Real Sociedad 2-1 on Sunday and move to the top of La Liga by one point.

After Real Madrid were thrashed 5-2 by rivals Atletico Madrid in a derby on Saturday, Hansi Flick’s side had the chance to claim pole position above Xabi Alonso’s side.

Alvaro Odriozola gave Real Sociedad the lead against the run of play in the first half, but Jules Kounde headed the Spanish champions level.

Advertisement

Yamal, who missed the last four games with a groin injury, created the winner for Robert Lewandowski just moments after coming on as a second-half substitute.

READ ALSO:

Barcelona held the game at the Olympic Stadium, where they have played for the last two seasons, after the city council refused them a permit to reopen their Camp Nou home earlier in the week.

Advertisement

Flick handed 17-year-old attacking midfielder Dro Fernandez his debut, also starting Roony Bardghji on the right wing and bringing in veteran Wojciech Szczesny for injured goalkeeper Joan Garcia.

Barcelona dominated the ball in the first half but found it hard to beat Real Sociedad goalkeeper Alex Remiro.

The Spain international made a fine save to deny Marcus Rashford in the early stages.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:LaLiga: Mourinho Speaks On Replacing Ancelotti At Real Madrid

On loan from Manchester United, Rashford is finding his footing at Barca and played a superb through ball for Robert Lewandowski, who fired across the face of goal from a tight angle.

Real Sociedad hit Barca with a sharp counter-attack to open the scoring after 31 minutes.

Advertisement

Former Real Madrid defender Alvaro Odriozola applied the finishing touch to Ander Barrenetxea’s cross.

Barcelona stepped up a gear and found Remiro in their way again, with the goalkeeper superbly palming away a Kounde cross which was deflected towards his goal.

Remiro also tipped a Bardghji effort away for a corner, which led to Barcelona’s equaliser.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:EPL: Arsenal Snatch Late 2-1 Win Against Newcastle

Rashford, who provided an assist from a corner against Real Oviedo in midweek, whipped it to the near post, where Kounde powered home a header.

Yamal’s return

Advertisement

Flick replaced Dro with Dani Olmo at half-time and also brought on Yamal before the hour mark, after the teenager recovered from his groin issue.

Voted second best player in the world at the Ballon d’Or gala on Monday, Yamal made an instant impact.

The 18-year-old burst into the box and crossed for Lewandowski to head home off the post, just over a minute after his introduction.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:LaLiga: Real Madrid Miss Chance To Go Top After Villarreal Defeat

Szczesny made a good save from Oyarzabal as La Real gave Barcelona a couple of scares, while Remiro denied Rashford and Olmo with two more good saves.

The game grew increasingly chaotic, and both sides hit the crossbar in quick succession.

Advertisement

Kounde, daydreaming in midfield, was robbed and Real Sociedad worked the ball to Takefusa Kubo, who crashed a shot against the woodwork.

Then Barcelona broke away and Ferran Torres teed up Lewandowski, who battered the crossbar when well placed to put the game to bed, but the hosts were not punished.

Barcelona host Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday, also at the Olympic Stadium.

Advertisement

AFP

Continue Reading

Sports

EPL: Arsenal Snatch Late 2-1 Win Against Newcastle

Published

on

Arsenal staged a late comeback to beat Newcastle 2-1 thanks to a stoppage-time header from Gabriel Magalhães at St James’ Park, on Sunday.

The game looked to be slipping away from the visitors after Nick Woltemade scored one for Newcastle in the 34th minute.

Arsenal had dominated the opening half but failed to find the net despite good chances from Eberechi Eze and Leandro Trossard.

Advertisement

READ ALSO:Theo Walcott Changes EPL Prediction, Names Team To Win UCL This Season

The London club were left frustrated when a penalty awarded for a foul on Viktor Gyökeres was overturned following a VAR review.

Newcastle had weathered the storm with the help of goalkeeper Nick Pope.

Advertisement

Mikel Merino rose to nod home from close range in the 84th minute to level, setting up a frantic finish.

READ ALSO:

Arsenal pushed with everything they had and were ultimately rewarded deep in stoppage time when Martin Ødegaard’s corner found Gabriel, who rose highest to head the winner in the sixth minute of added time.

Advertisement

Arsenal’s late victory will feel like a statement of character for Mikel Arteta’s side, who move on with a precious away win after dominating long spells of the match but having to fight until the final whistle to secure the three points.

Newcastle will take encouragement from a dogged defensive display.

Arsenal now have four wins, one draw, and one loss in six Premier League games. They sit in the second position on the table, while Newcastle is in 15th.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending