Game Recaps

Clint Dempsey (of course it was Clint Dempsey) scored the only goal in a 1-0 Seattle Sounders victory over Chivas Guadalajara in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions League that capped a remarkable two-day stretch that saw the three remaining MLS clubs all beat their Liga MX opponents. That, for those who don't normally follow the CONCACAF Champions League, is noteworthy and even remarkable.

Anyway, here's the goal:

England channeled the spirit of Robert Green against the USWNT Wednesday, conceding a very silly own goal on the way to a 1-0 USA victory that gave the Americans the SheBelieves Cup.

Megan Rapinoe's cross/shot was eventually knocked into the England netby goalkeeper Karen Bardsley for the only goal of the night in the 58th minute.

Jonathan Osorio had one of the worst misses you can imagine. He atoned for it with one of the sweetest finishes imaginable to lead Toronto FC to a 2-1 comeback win over Tigres UANL on Wednesday in Toronto. The second leg of Tigres vs. Toronto in the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals will be Tuesday back in Mexico.

Tigres took a lead in the 52nd minute through Eduardo Vargas but the Reds nearly responded immediately, only for Osorio to sky his wide-open shot from six yards out. It was a shocking miss and one that could haunt a player for the rest of the match.

France entered the SheBelieves Cup as the lowest-ranked team of the four involved, ranked sixth while the others were all in the top three. But thanks to a blistering goal from Amandine Henry for France vs. Germany, Les Bleues ensured they didn’t finish last in the tournament, beating Die Nationalelf 3-0. 

Tottenham had this. For 60 minutes of play, Tottenham deserved this ... but Juventus aren’t here for your sentimental nonsense. 

Spurs landed five shots on target in the first half — nobody does that to Juventus. Son Heung-min looked razor sharp. Harry Kane was bossing Giorgio Chiellini. Paulo Dybala was about to get roasted on the spit of a thousand different hot takes. Only Andrea Barzagli was doing fun, wily veteran things.

Was this a red card for Barzagli?

RT for Red Card

Here is the play that most sums up the Manchester City-Basel Champions League tie:

Claudio Bravo, ladies and gentlemen. pic.twitter.com/awBrddu0JR

— Man City Brazil (@ManCityBrazil) March 7, 2018

The New York Red Bulls took a giant step towards the CONCACAF Champions League semifinals with a rare MLS victory in Mexico on Tuesday night, downing Club Tijuana at Estadio Caliente 2-0 in their quarterfinal first leg matchup.

The Metros will need to take care of business at Red Bull Arena on March 13, but they played the first leg to perfection. Bradley Wright-Phillips, the club’s all-time leading scorer, scored a brace and USMNT goalkeeper Luis Robles recorded 13 saves, and the MLS side now returns to Harrison with two vital away goals and a precious clean sheet. 

Paris Saint-Germain was always going to be facing an uphill battle. After allowing three unanswered goals in a 3-1 defeat to Real Madrid at the Bernabeu, a comeback became even more unlikely when Neymar injured himself right before his sister’s birthday. But the Brazilian really missed by PSG vs Real Madrid in the Champions League was not Neymar but experienced defender Dani Alves. 

No player has appeared more in the UEFA Champions League than FC Porto goalkeeper Iker Casillas. Today, the 36-year-old shot-stopper made his 167th appearance in the competition in Porto’s 0-0 draw with Liverpool (ultimately a 5-0 aggregate win for the Reds).  

Casillas also holds the Champions League clean sheet record, a mark he improved to 59 today.

A two-goal performance from Cristiano Ronaldo saw Real Madrid defeat Getafe in La Liga play Saturday, and the Portuguese star recorded another remarkable individual achievement with goals number 300 and 301 in Spanish league play, putting him alongside Barcelona star Lionel Messi as the only members of the milestone club.

Real moved four points above Valencia in third place, and manager Zinedine Zidane will be pleased to have had both Ronaldo and Gareth Bale on the scoresheet before Tuesday’s trip to Paris to play a Neymar-less PSG.