Men's National Teams

Borussia Dortmund is through to the DFB-Pokal Round of 16 after defeating second-division side Union Berlin 3-2 Wednesday. 20-year-old American Christian Pulisic scored the opener, assisted on Max Philipp’s second and then earned the penalty that Marco Reus converted for Dortmund’s third. 

We can only speak for ourselves here at The18, but we’d grown a little terrified of late, and we’re not talking about the culmination of binging The Haunting of Hill House ’til Halloween night.

The October 2018 FIFA rankings were released Thursday and France is no longer the best team in the world — at least when it comes to arbitrary numerical rankings.

Belgium, which was tied with France at No. 1 in September, moved into sole position atop the October 2018 FIFA rankings. Brazil follows France in third while Croatia and England, which jumped over Uruguay, round out the top five.

Porto climbed to the top of UEFA Champions League Group D with an impressive 3-1 win in Moscow against Lokomotiv on Wednesday, and the Mexican duo of Handsome Hector Herrera and Jesús “Tecatito” Corona played a large part in the win.

The Handsome One scored Porto’s second with Tecatito supplying the assist in the 35th minute. 

Hector Herrera doubles Porto's lead

A fascinating tactical battle between Lucien Favre’s Bundesliga-leading Dortmund and Diego Simeone’s Atletico (currently averaging 0.55 goals conceded per game in LaLiga) was bossed by the home side at the Westfalenstadion on Wednesday, BVB putting four past Europe’s misers while limiting the visitors to only two shots on frame.

Achraf Hakimi registered a hat-trick of assists while the moves were finished by Axel Witsel, Jadon Sancho and Raphael Guerreiro (x2). Marco Reus wasn’t on the scoresheet, but his deployment in the false nine role murdered Atletico’s shape. 

The ball looped up into the air and time slowed down. Goalie Hugo Lloris watched helplessly as a deflected shot sailed just out of his reach. Tens of thousands of fans inside the Philips Stadion in Eindhoven held their collective breath. Then the Hirving Lozano goal vs Tottenham fell into the net and the crowd exploded into jubilant celebration.

Mexico international Chucky Lozano scored against the run of play with his first Champions League group-stage goal on Wednesday in Group B action, and it all came down to a poor piece of play from Spurs defender Toby Alderweireld. 

Atlanta United has announced that after cooperative negotiations between the club and manager Gerardo “Tata” Martino concerning a contract extension beyond the 2018 season, the 55-year-old Argentine coach has elected to decline the offer and move on following the 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs. 

After missing four matches due to an ankle injury caused by teammate Bruno Valdez during training, 18-year-old Club America phenom Diego Lainez made his full return on Saturday by starting his first Liga MX match since Aug. 23. Matt Miazga’s BFF certainly looked back to his best in America’s 3-0 win over Tijuana, going the full 90 minutes and scoring a golazo in the 59th minute.

A pair of former Pachuca teammates are having themselves a ball in the Netherlands right now. 

Chucky Lozano had a breakout season with PSV Eindhoven a year ago, scoring 17 goals in the Eredivisie. He welcomed compatriot Érick Gutiérrez to the team in August and now the two El Tri players are becoming terrifyingly prolific.

Against FC Emmen on Saturday, the Chucky and Guti were at it again, scoring back-to-back goals for the third time this season.