Kolkata: In a spectacular display at the Durand Cup, Kerala Blasters thrashed the formidable Mumbai City FC with a goal fest, winning 8-0 in their season opener. Kwame Peprah and Noah Sadoi shone brightly for the Blasters, each scoring hat-tricks. This magnificent victory was dedicated to the disaster-affected people of Wayanad. The Blasters played wearing black armbands to show solidarity with the Wayanad victims, pointing to these bands after scoring goals. The team also shared pictures with the caption, "This is for Wayanad." The match was held at Kishore Bharati Krirangan in Kolkata, where the Blasters' reserve team took the field.
Right from the start, the Blasters played aggressively and began their goal-scoring spree in the 32nd minute. The Blasters' new signing, Noah Sadoi, scored the first goal. In the 40th minute, Kwame Peprah doubled the lead, scoring from an assist by captain Adrian Luna. Luna's pass sliced through Mumbai's backline, and Peprah easily found the net. The Blasters continued to ramp up their attacks. In the 45th minute, Peprah scored again, this time capitalizing on a rebound after Luna's header from Noah's cross was initially saved by the goalkeeper.
Peprah completed his hat-trick in the 53rd minute, with Danish Farooq providing the assist. In the 76th minute, Noah also completed his hat-trick, scoring from a pass by substitute Noyhenb Johanb. Finally, in the 86th and 87th minutes, Ishan Pandita scored two more goals, sealing the Blasters' 8-0 victory.
Manchester United Dominates Real Betis in Club Football Friendly Match
California: In a club football friendly match, Manchester United defeated Real Betis with a scoreline of 3-2. Marcus Rashford, Amad Diallo, and Casemiro scored the goals for the Red Devils, while Iker Losada and Diego Lainez found the net for Betis. United's Jadon Sancho found the back of the net in the fourth minute, but it was ruled offside. Betis took the lead in the 15th minute through Losada, assisted by Rodri Sanchez. United quickly equalized in the 18th minute with a penalty converted by Rashford.
The Red Devils soon took the lead in the 24th minute with a goal from Amad Diallo. Casemiro extended United's lead in the 30th minute. At halftime, United had a clear lead. Betis made the match interesting again with a goal from Lainez in the 61st minute. However, Betis couldn't find another goal to equalize, and Manchester United secured the victory.
AC Milan Upsets European Champions Real Madrid in Club Football Friendly
Chicago: In another club football friendly, Italian club AC Milan defeated UEFA Champions League winners Real Madrid 1-0. Samuel Chukwueze scored the only goal of the match for Milan in the 54th minute of the second half. The match started evenly, with both teams playing cautiously. After 20 minutes, Real Madrid took more control of the game but couldn't score in the first half. Chukwueze scored in the 54th minute, converting a pass from Matteo Liberali. Real Madrid couldn't mount a comeback, and AC Milan emerged victorious against the European champions.
Liverpool Defeats Arsenal, Chelsea Wins Against Club America in Club Football Friendlies
Pennsylvania: Liverpool defeated Arsenal 2-1 in a club football friendly. Mohamed Salah and Fabio Carvalho scored for the Reds, while Kai Havertz scored the lone goal for Arsenal. Arsenal initially took control of the ball, but Salah quickly regained possession and scored in the 13th minute. Liverpool continued their strong performance, with Carvalho scoring in the 34th minute. Havertz scored for Arsenal in the 40th minute, providing hope for the Gunners.
Despite a better performance in the second half, Arsenal couldn't score again, and Liverpool won the match. In another friendly, Chelsea defeated Club America 3-0. Christopher Nkunku scored the first goal for Chelsea with a penalty in the third minute. Marc Guehi scored the second goal in the 21st minute, and Noni Madueke secured the victory with a penalty goal in the 79th minute.
Angel Di Maria Declines to Play for Rosario Central Again
Buenos Aires: Argentine football legend Angel Di Maria has stated that he will not return to play for his former club Rosario Central due to security reasons. Di Maria cited a threat to his sister's business as the reason for his decision. A box filled with pig heads and bullets, along with a warning message, was sent to his sister. The message threatened that if Di Maria returned to Rosario, a bullet would be aimed at his daughter's forehead. Di Maria emphasized that he would not allow anyone to harm his family and that their happiness is his priority.
The Argentine government commented on the incident, stating that criminal gangs were trying to show their power. Previously, the wife of Argentine football team captain Lionel Messi had her business targeted by gang violence. Rosario, Argentina's third-largest city, has seen a rise in attacks attributed to drug gangs.
Barcelona Defeats Manchester City in Penalty Shootout in Club Football Friendly
Florida: Barcelona defeated Manchester City in a penalty shootout in a club football friendly. The match ended 2-2 in regular time, with goals from Pablo Torre and Pau Victor for Barcelona, and Nico O'Reilly and Jack Grealish for Manchester City. City dominated the match initially, taking the lead early on. However, Barcelona equalized in the 24th minute through Victor. City's response came quickly, with O'Reilly scoring in the 39th minute.
Barcelona took the lead again in injury time of the first half with a goal from Torre. City equalized in the second half with a goal from Grealish in the 60th minute. Despite City's efforts to find a winning goal, Barcelona's defense held firm, and the match went to penalties. Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski, Noah Darvich, Alejandro Balde, and Toni Fernandes scored in the shootout, while City's Calvin Phillips and Jacob Wright missed their chances. Only Amr Fattah managed to score for City in the shootout, giving Barcelona the victory.
Argentina vs. France Showdown in Olympics Football Quarter-Finals
Paris: The quarter-final matchups for the Paris Olympics football tournament have been announced, with a notable clash between Argentina and France. The quarter-finals will begin on August 2nd, with Morocco facing the United States at 6:30 PM. Spain will play against Japan at 8:30 PM. The third quarter-final match will also take place on August 2nd, with Egypt facing Paraguay. The final quarter-final match, featuring Argentina against France, will occur on August 3rd at 12:30 AM. France advanced to the quarter-finals by winning all three of their group matches, while Argentina reached the quarters despite losing their first match to Morocco.
In the women's football tournament, there is still one round of matches to be played. The remaining matches will be completed today. The United States and Spain are likely to advance to the quarter-finals. Brazil, currently in third place in their group with three points from two matches, will face a crucial match against Spain today.
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