Underdogs

A fifth-minute penalty from Patrick Bamford was enough to give Leeds United a 1-0 win over Burnley at Elland Road in the Premier League on Sunday, but Sean Dyche's side were left furious after an Ashley Barnes effort was ruled out.

Bamford, who spent a spell on loan at Burnley earlier in his career, drilled home the early spot kick after referee Robert Jones ruled that Burnley keeper Nick Pope had brought down the Leeds forward. It was the Leeds man's 10th league goal of the season.

Fiorentina handed Juventus its first defeat of the season on Tuesday by entering Turin — where they previously hadn’t won in over 12 years — and walking out with a comfortable 3-0 victory.

Football without fans has hurt clubs throughout the footballing pyramid, but the pandemic has hit non-league sides especially hard. These clubs depend on ticket sales as a primary source of revenue, and with empty stadiums across England, many local teams have been pushed to the brink financially.

These semi-pro and amateur sides also provide a helpful reminder of what true football fandom entails.

Major League Soccer's Los Angeles FC and Mexican side Tigres will meet in the final of the CONCACAF Champions League on Tuesday in Orlando, Fla., after both sides were victorious in their semifinal matches on Saturday night.

Carlos Vela scored goals in the 46th and 47th minutes to rally his LAFC to a 3-1 win over Mexican side Club América. 

The 2020 Concacaf Champions League resumed last night with leg two of Olimpia versus Montreal — 280 days after the Honduran side had disappointed 23,000 fans inside the Impact’s Olympic Stadium by snatching a crucial 2-1 road win. 

Despite having to play the return leg at Exploria Stadium in Orlando — where the remainder of the competition will be staged — Olimpia advanced on away goals after Montreal could only find one through Amar Sejdič. 

Thierry Henry is out; Olimpia plays Tigres in the semifinals on Saturday. 

Wolverhampton handed Chelsea a second defeat in the span of three days with a dramatic 2-1 victory on Tuesday.

The two clubs left all of the drama and action for the second half. In the opening 45 minutes, the best opportunity fell Chelsea’s way on the stroke of halftime when Kurt Zouma's header rattled off the crossbar.

Jamaican Leon Bailey scored twice to steer unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen to a 4-1 victory over Hoffenheim on Sunday and take over the lead in the Bundesliga for the first time in six years.

Bailey first struck after four minutes, thundering in a shot from outside the box and from a tight angle past keeper Oliver Baumann.

Leon Bailey hit this beautifully pic.twitter.com/ttlv7cxNl3

It’s days like this when you see Sergio Ramos, Luka Modrić and Karim Benzema laugh in the face of Champions League elimination that you truly appreciate how incredible this side was between 2013 and 2018.

For the neutral, there could be no victor in Wednesday’s win or go home meeting between Ajax and Atalanta at Johan Cruijff ArenA (although a draw would suffice for the Italian side).

Ajax’s run to the semifinals of the 2018-19 tournament is already the stuff of legend, while Atalanta’s own trip to the quarters last season was just as improbable, and likewise ended in heartbreaking added-time defeat.

The Columbus Crew put an end to New England’s fairy tale run to advance to the 2020 MLS Cup Final on Sunday, winning 1-0 behind Artur’s composed finish following a terrific team move. 

The victory ensured a third and final MLS Cup contested at MAPFRE Stadium — Columbus moves into a new stadium next summer — regardless of who wins Monday’s Western Conference final between Seattle and Minnesota. Columbus finished fourth in the overall table, whereas Seattle finished sixth and Minnesota ninth.