Amazing Goals

Real Madrid piled the pressure on Barcelona with a 2-1 LaLiga victory at Camp Nou on Sunday that was highlighted by David Alaba’s masterclass in turning defense into attack in the 32nd minute. 

Historically speaking, it’s a really damning loss for Barcelona. That’s four straight wins for Real in this fixture, a run of fortune that Los Blancos haven’t experienced since 1965. It’s also only the second time ever that Real has won back-to-back games at Camp Nou. 

Newcastle United held Crystal Palace to a 1-1 draw at Selhurst Park on Saturday in their first game since the departure of manager Steve Bruce after Callum Wilson's acrobatic strike canceled out Christian Benteke's opener for the home side.

Luka Stojanović drove home the tie-breaking goal in the third minute of stoppage time, and the visiting Chicago Fire stunned reeling FC Cincinnati with a 4-3 victory on Wednesday night.

Just two minutes after Cincinnati's Tyler Blackett clipped in a cross amid traffic to tie the match at 3-3, Stojanović drilled a laser from outside of the top of the box that just cleared the arm of leaping FCC goalkeeper Przemysław Tytoń. It's just the second road victory of the season for Chicago (8-16-7, 31 points), which like Cincinnati, has already been eliminated from playoff contention.

Bayern Munich has been blowing out competition this season, scoring three or more goals in 11 of 12 matches coming into Wednesday, including eight in two Champions League games. But through 70 minutes on Wednesday, the German giants were scoreless. That is, until the Leroy Sané free kick vs Benfica. 

Sané blasted a marvelous free kick to break the deadlock and open the floodgates as Bayern poured it on late in a 4-0 win on Wednesday at the Estádio da Luz. Sané scored the first and fourth goals after his club had two goals denied by the VAR.

If European football wasn’t as familiar with American manager Jesse Marsch as it should’ve been, it sure as hell is now. On Tuesday, the RB Leipzig boss masterminded a stirring performance at the Parc des Princes that had the German side deservedly ahead 2-1 with just over 20 minutes to play. 

But a terrible mistake from American midfielder Tyler Adams allowed Lionel Messi to equalize before a rash challenge in the area gifted PSG another from the spot.   

When it comes to women’s college soccer, Stanford is the preeminent program in the Pac-12, regularly producing USWNT stars like Julie Foudy, Christen Press, Kelley O’Hara, Andi Sullivan, Alana Cook and Catarina Macario. So whoever the Cardinal are playing, they know they’re going to get their best. On Sunday, it was the Colorado Buffaloes trying to knock off Stanford and nearly doing so thanks to a stunning CU bicycle kick goal. 

BARCELONA - Ansu Fati marked his first start in almost a year by scoring one goal and creating another as Barcelona came from behind to beat Valencia 3-1 in LaLiga at Camp Nou on Sunday.

Despite being allowed a full capacity crowd for the first time since March 2020, Barça's ground was only half full — and those in attendance were silenced after five minutes as José Gayà's long-range strike swerved into the far corner.

JOSÉ GAYÁ GOLAZO

With just two weeks remaining in the NWSL regular season, the North Carolina Courage welcomed NJ/NY Gotham FC to WakeMed Soccer Park on Sunday afternoon in a match with huge playoff implications.

After a scoreless first half, Midge Purce got the opener for Gotham in the 54th-minute before adding a second 10 minutes later. The 26-year-old forward is now her team’s leading scorer on the season with eight goals.

A F̶l̶o̶r̶i̶a̶n̶ ̶W̶i̶r̶t̶z̶ ̶t̶r̶y̶o̶u̶t̶ top-of-the-table Bundesliga clash between Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday failed to live up to the billing, instead playing out like a fight between Tyson Fury and a piece of toast that’s been soaking in a bucket. 

It’s too early to award the title to Bayern — Borussia Dortmund still has something to say about that — but it’s not too early to give the Ballon d’Or to Robert Lewandowski.