Game Recaps

The United States women’s national team defeated Canada 3-1 on penalties (2-2 after extra time on Wednesday) in the Concacaf W Gold Cup amid horrid weather and field conditions at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California.

Rain poured down throughout the evening and during the day’s earlier Gold Cup semifinal that saw Brazil defeat Mexico 3-0. By the time the USWNT and Canada took the field it looked more like a swimming pool.

Real Madrid survived a real scare from RB Leipzig in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday as Vinicius Jr. scored a critical goal in a 1-1 draw and 2-1 victory on aggregate to book a spot in the quarterfinals.

Fans have a big question about Real Madrid’s win. Should Vini. Jr have even been on the field when he scored his goal?

A controversial moment took place in the 54th minute when the Brazilian winger caught Leipzig’s Willi Orbán late on a tackle. When Orbán confronted Vini Jr. about the tackle the Real Madrid man shoved the defender in the upper chest/throat area.

The U.S. women’s national team booked their ticket to the 2024 Concacaf W Gold Cup semifinals following a dominating vindication win against Colombia this Sunday.

After perhaps the worst performance from the USWNT in the last year on Monday in their group stage loss against Mexico, the four-time world champs didn’t miss the opportunity to bounce back from their poor send-off to the knockout stage. And it took them only 13 minutes to do so.

Inter Miami produced a result many fans have come to expect given their star power as the Herons cruised to a 5-0 victory at DRV PNK stadium vs. rival Orlando City. Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez both scored braces.

The expectations for Suárez are high after scoring 26 goals and adding 17 assists last season for Gremio in Brazil. He’d been receiving criticism lately for his slow mobility and lack of goals since joining Miami. 

LONDON — Chelsea fought back to earn a point against Brentford in a 2-2 draw after defender Axel Disasi headed an 83rd-minute equalizer in the West London derby at the Brentford Community Stadium in the Premier League on Saturday.

Chelsea took the lead with a clinical header by Nicolas Jackson in the 35th minute but Brentford looked on course for a comeback win after Mads Roerslev pounced on a loose ball in the Chelsea box in the opening minutes of the second half.

Christian Pulisic was the spotlight of two hectic moments between AC Milan and Lazio players on Friday during the Rossoneri’s 1-0 victory. In the second half Pulisic got under the Lazio players’ skin and drew two red cards. 

The first incident saw the American dragged to the ground by Lazio defender Luca Pellegrini who was given a second yellow card and sent off. Pellegrini had already picked up a yellow card earlier in the game for a hard tackle on Pulisic.

Germany qualified for this year's Paris Olympics after a 2-0 win over the Netherlands in Heerenveen on Wednesday in the third-place playoff of the women's Nations League.

Klara Buhl's half-volley from close range in the 66th minute and Lea Schueller's header in the 78th sealed the win for Germany, Olympic gold medallists in 2016, who will return to compete at the Games after missing Tokyo 2020.

Germany goal vs. Netherlands

LUTON — Erling Haaland roared back to his best form with a five-goal salvo as Manchester City thumped Luton Town 6-2 at Kenilworth Road to reach the quarter-finals of the FA Cup on Tuesday.

Luton had no answer to the marauding Norwegian who bagged his eighth City hat-trick before halftime and then scored twice more after the break to kill off a stirring Luton revival.

The 23-year-old Haaland's first four goals were all created by Kevin De Bruyne. Mateo Kovacic also got on the scoresheet for holders City who are unbeaten in 18 games in all competitions.

A 38th-minute goal by Jacqueline Ovalle and a score by Mayra Pelayo in second-half stoppage time led Mexico to a stunning 2-0 victory over the U.S. women's national team in Carson, Calif., on Monday to win Group A of the CONCACAF W Gold Cup.

The victory snapped Mexico's 16-match losing streak to the U.S. since a 2-1 win in the semifinals of the CONCACAF Women's World Cup qualifying event in Cancun, Mexico, on Nov. 5, 2010. The U.S. leads the series 40-1-2 and had blanked the Mexicans in the previous six meetings.

Dejan Joveljic scored in the 75th minute for Los Angeles but Lionel Messi tallied the equalizer during stoppage time to give Inter Miami CF a 1-1 tie with the Galaxy on Sunday night in Carson, Calif.

Messi's goal came in the second minute of second-half stoppage time and kept Inter Miami unbeaten (1-0-1, 4 points).

Messi goal vs LA Galaxy

Messi Alba

WHAT A GOAL! pic.twitter.com/LuYpsiAb2X