Sport
Club World Cup: Fluminense Advances to Semi-Finals with 2-1 Triumph Over Al-Hilal
Hercules, coming off the bench, netted a decisive goal in the 70th minute, leading Brazil’s Fluminense to a 2-1 victory against Saudi Arabia’s Al-Hilal on Friday, securing a spot in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup. Matheus Martinelli opened the scoring for the Rio club with a brilliant left-footed shot in the 40th minute. However, Al-Hilal’s Marcos Leonardo equalized just six minutes into the second half before Hercules clinched the win, much to the delight of the 43,091 fans in attendance.
Fluminense could potentially face a semi-final against fellow Brazilian club Palmeiras, contingent upon Palmeiras defeating Premier League side Chelsea in the other quarter-final match.
Al-Hilal had made headlines in the tournament earlier by defeating Manchester City 4-3 to reach the quarter-finals. Despite their exit, Simone Inzaghi’s squad fought valiantly until the end, leaving their mark by finishing unbeaten in the group stage, which included a draw against Real Madrid.
Before the match, a moment of silence was observed in memory of Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota and his younger brother Andre Silva, who tragically lost their lives in a car accident in Spain.
Al-Hilal’s lineup included two of Jota’s Portugal teammates, Ruben Neves and Joao Cancelo. The first half was characterized by a tactical battle with limited scoring opportunities until Martinelli broke the deadlock, receiving the ball from Gabriel Fuentes inside the box and unleashing a powerful left-foot shot past goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
Al-Hilal nearly found a quick equalizer when Kalidou Koulibaly’s header forced a remarkable save from Fluminense’s 44-year-old goalkeeper Fabio. The Saudi team was awarded a penalty after Samuel Xavier was deemed to have fouled Marcos Leonardo in the box. However, after reviewing the incident on the monitor, Dutch referee Danny Makkelie overturned his original decision due to a lack of contact.
After halftime, Al-Hilal came out aggressively, leveling the score when Koulibaly directed a Neves corner down to Marcos Leonardo, who finished from close range.
Al-Hilal’s Renan Lodi narrowly avoided disaster when a poor backpass landed at the feet of German Cano, but the Fluminense striker’s attempt to round Bounou was thwarted by the goalkeeper’s quick reflexes.
The match was decided 20 minutes from time when substitute Hercules had a long-range shot blocked, but he quickly seized the rebound, sprinted into the box, and scored past Bounou to make it 2-1.
In the closing moments, Al-Hilal ramped up the pressure with a series of corners and desperate attempts to equalize, but Fluminense held firm, earning a well-deserved victory.
Sport
Tobi Amusan Shines Bright with Silver at the World Athletics Championships
Nigeria’s sensational hurdler, Tobi Amusan, has made headlines once again, clinching the silver medal in the women’s 100m hurdles at the 2025 World Athletics Championships held in Tokyo, Japan. This marks her return to the podium for the first time since 2022, showcasing her incredible talent and resilience.
Amusan demonstrated her elite athleticism by finishing the race in an impressive 12.28 seconds, securing a well-deserved second place. The gold medal was claimed by Switzerland’s Ditaji Kambundji, who set a new national record with a remarkable time of 12.24 seconds. Meanwhile, the bronze medal went to Grace Stark of the United States, who completed the race in 12.34 seconds.
Earlier in the day, Amusan had already impressed fans by winning her semifinal heat in 12.36 seconds, setting the stage for a thrilling final. Her fierce competitiveness and dedication were on full display, reaffirming her status as a powerhouse in the sport.
Tobi Amusan’s stellar performance at the Tokyo 2025 World Championships not only adds to her accolades but also solidifies her place among the elite in track and field. The future looks incredibly bright for this remarkable athlete!
Sport
Tonali Rescues Italy from World Cup Crisis Against Israel
Sandro Tonali clinched a thrilling 5-4 victory for Italy over Israel on Monday, delivering a crucial late goal in the 2026 World Cup qualifier just as the Azzurri appeared to be spiraling into another crisis. The Newcastle United midfielder celebrated exuberantly in stoppage time after his speculative shot navigated through a crowd of players and found the back of the net, sealing a dramatic match in Debrecen, Hungary, which Italy seemed to be on the brink of throwing away.
The Azzurri, having missed out on the last two World Cups, were dominating 4-2 in the 81st minute when Giacomo Raspadori, who came on for the impressive Moise Kean, scored almost immediately after his introduction. Kean had previously set the tone by netting Italy’s first two goals.
However, an unfortunate own goal by Alessandro Bastoni and a header from Dor Peretz brought Israel back to level terms just when it looked like Italy would secure a comfortable win. Tonali’s fortuitous goal lifted Italy to second place in Group I, now tied on nine points with Israel, who have played one more match, putting them in a playoff position.
Gennaro Gattuso, Italy’s new coach, remarked, “We’ll take the win, which was crucial for us, but we’re completely crazy because we conceded some absurd goals. We have to address that issue because we’re too fragile; we allow goals too easily. The players realize this, but it’s my problem to solve. However, credit must go to the boys for showing the courage to fight back every time they faced adversity.”
Italy trails group leaders Norway by three points, still holding a potential chance to secure the top spot and the sole direct qualifying berth for the World Cup. Yet, Gattuso faces significant challenges ahead of the upcoming matches against Estonia and Israel, especially as the Israeli players donned black armbands in remembrance of the victims of a deadly shooting earlier that day in east Jerusalem.
Despite being the nominal home team, Israel could have justified a draw, having seen Kean repeatedly pull Italy out of trouble following an early own goal from Manuel Locatelli and a stunning strike from Dor Peretz in the 52nd minute in a mostly empty Nagyerdei Stadium.
The match was overshadowed by political tensions stemming from Israel’s military actions in the Gaza Strip. A small contingent of Italian fans turned their backs during the Israeli national anthem, and boos echoed from some parts of the stadium, accompanied by banners reading “stop.” The Italian players also seemed disinterested at the match’s outset, as Israel showed more urgency and commitment compared to the four-time World Cup champions.
The nominal home side had a goal disallowed before Locatelli’s own goal put Israel ahead. He nearly redeemed himself with an acrobatic volley that struck the crossbar. However, ten minutes later, Kean scored a low drive past goalkeeper Daniel Peretz after receiving a knockdown from Mateo Retegui.
Kean found the net again nine minutes into the second half, equalizing right after Peretz had put Israel ahead again with a brilliantly placed shot. Politano eventually gave Italy the lead with a well-placed volley assisted by Retegui, and when Raspadori added a fourth goal, it seemed Italy would emerge victorious. But it was Tonali’s unconventional winner that ultimately secured the three points for Italy, averting a potential disaster that would have left their World Cup qualification hopes hanging by a thread.
Sport
EPL: Postecoglou Set to Take Over as Nottingham Forest Head Coach
Ange Postecoglou has reached an agreement to become the head coach of Nottingham Forest, following the club’s decision to part ways with Nuno Espirito Santo. According to reports from Sky Sports on Tuesday, the 60-year-old Australian is preparing to return to Premier League management, having finalized terms just ahead of Forest’s upcoming match against Arsenal.
After discussions with the club earlier this week, both parties quickly came to an agreement. Postecoglou is set to be the eighth permanent manager at Nottingham Forest since Evangelos Marinakis took ownership in 2017.
The former Tottenham manager was released from his position at the end of the previous season after a disappointing run that saw Spurs finish 17th in the Premier League. Nevertheless, he managed to secure a historic Europa League victory, ending the club’s long wait for a trophy.
Currently, Forest occupies the 10th position in the Premier League table after three matches this season. Nuno Espirito Santo’s tenure came to an end after 21 months, with his last game resulting in a 3-0 loss to West Ham before the international break in September.
Espirito Santo took the reins in December 2023 following Steve Cooper’s dismissal and successfully maintained the club’s top-flight status. Last season, he led Nottingham to a seventh-place finish in the Premier League, marking their best standing since the 1994-95 season and resulting in their qualification for European competition for the first time in thirty years.
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