Sports
W’Cup: England Thrash Senegal To Book France Clash Quarter-finals

England set up a titanic World Cup quarter-final against holders France as Jude Bellingham’s masterclass inspired a 3-0 win against Senegal in the last 16 on Sunday.
Gareth Southgate’s side survived a nervous start at the Al Bayt Stadium before Jordan Henderson and Harry Kane put Senegal to the sword with a pair of clinical finishes before half-time.
Bukayo Saka scored England’s third, but it was Bellingham’s prodigious work-rate and burgeoning quality in possession that allowed them to turn the tide.
Bellingham set up Henderson’s opener and the Borussia Dortmund midfielder was involved again when England captain Kane bagged his first goal in this World Cup.
Kane has now netted 11 times at major tournaments, overtaking Gary Lineker as England’s all-time top scorer in those competitions.
But at the tender age of 19, it is Bellingham who has emerged as England’s driving force.
He is the first teenager to assist in a World Cup knockout stage game since 1966, having already announced his arrival on the global stage by netting his first England goal in the 6-2 rout of Iran in their group opener.
Just two years after he was playing in the English second tier with Birmingham, the precocious Bellingham was totally unfazed against Senegal in the biggest game of his life.
READ ALSO: jayWorld Cup: Jay Jay Okocha Predicts Winner Of England Vs Senegal Clash
England will need another command performance from Bellingham if they are to extend their stay in Qatar beyond the last eight.
Eyeing a third successive semi-final appearance at major tournaments, England will return to the Al Khor desert on Saturday to take on the red-hot Kylian Mbappe and company after France brushed aside Poland 3-1 on Sunday.
Euro 2020 runners-up England have won only one of their last eight meetings with France, who pose a significant threat to their hopes of winning a first major title for 56 years.
The depth of attacking talent available to Southgate could be crucial and, defending his decision to drop Marcus Rashford for Saka despite the forward’s double against Wales, he boasted “we have an embarrassment of riches in all areas of the pitch”.
After a rocky opening when they passed too slowly and looked anxious at the back, England hit their stride to show why Southgate has such confidence in them.
– Jolt of adrenaline –
Fuelled by the incessant drumming from their vibrant fans, African champions Senegal initially showed no fear as they tested England’s composure with a high press.
READ ALSO: AFCON 2021: Jay Jay Okocha Names One Player Nigeria Didn’t Miss
Senegal squandered a golden opportunity to take the lead when Harry Maguire gave the ball away and Boulaye Dia’s volley deflected off John Stones into Ismaila Sarr’s path, only for the Watford forward to blaze over from close-range.
Preying on England’s nerves, Sarr harried Saka and Dia seized the loose ball, forcing a good save from Jordan Pickford with a fierce drive.
That proved the turning point as England snatched the lead against the run of play in the 38th minute.
Bellingham sprinted onto Harry Kane’s incisive pass into the Senegal area and clipped a precise cutback into the path of Liverpool midfielder Henderson, who guided his low strike past Edouard Mendy from 12 yards.
Henderson’s goal served as a jolt of adrenaline that coursed through England as they doubled their lead seconds before the interval.
Bellingham was the catalyst with his well-timed tackle and a crisp pass to Foden, whose perfectly-weighted lay-off allowed Kane to race clear for a clinical finish.
England strolled through the second half and, repaying Southgate’s faith, Saka put the result beyond doubt in the 57th minute.
Foden made a dynamic run down the left and Saka reached his cross to flick a clever effort over Mendy from close-range.
AFP
Sports
PSG To Play First Intercontinental Cup Final In December
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.
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.
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.
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
Sports
La Liga: Barca Beat Real Sociedad 2-1 As Yamal Returns
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
AFP
Sports
EPL: Arsenal Snatch Late 2-1 Win Against Newcastle
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.
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.
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.
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.
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