Sports
Mbappe’s PSG Punish 10-man Barca To Reach Champions League Semis
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Kylian Mbappe struck twice as Paris Saint-Germain battled back to beat 10-man Barcelona 4-1 and book a place in the Champions League semi-finals with a 6-4 aggregate triumph on Tuesday.
Raphinha fired Barcelona ahead early on but Ronald Araujo’s 29th-minute red card turned the tide in PSG’s favour, despite the Spanish champions leading by two goals following a 3-2 quarter-final first-leg win.
Ousmane Dembele and Vitinha levelled the tie for PSG and the deadly Mbappe hit a brace to put them into the final four for the first time since 2021.
The French champions have never won the trophy despite huge investment but demonstrated they have the attacking weapons in their squad to do so.
Five-time winners Barcelona were dreaming of a first semi-final return since 2019 but Araujo’s red card for pulling down the relentless Bradley Barcola undermined their grip on the tie.
PSG coach Luis Enrique, who led Barca to the 2015 Champions League, said he believed his team would turn things around despite never having managed to after a first-leg defeat, and so it proved.
The visitors started with determination and penned Barcelona back in their territory, but it was the hosts who took the lead.
Explosive 16-year-old starlet Lamine Yamal ripped past Nuno Mendes and crossed to the near post where Raphinha turned home despite pressure from Achraf Hakimi.
It was the Brazilian winger’s third goal of the tie after his brace in Paris.
Robert Lewandowski fired another chance over the top for Barcelona before Barcola tilted the tie in PSG’s favour. The winger was a nightmare for his French compatriot Jules Kounde to handle.
Barcola teed up Mbappe but Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen denied him well before Araujo was sent off for bringing him down.
The Uruguayan centre-back pulled Barcola back as he burst into the area, leaving Barca with 10 men.
Dembele whizzed the resulting free-kick narrowly over, but soon found the net, as he did in the first leg.
The former Barcelona winger struck after 40 minutes from another Barcola cross, which raked across the area to the back post where Dembele was arriving to fire into the roof of the net.
Barcelona sacrificed Yamal for defender Inigo Martinez after Araujo’s red card and it left them with few outlets in attack.
With PSG controlling the game Barcelona soon paid the price for their inability to keep possession.
Vitinha was given far too much space on the edge of the box and he drilled into the bottom corner to put PSG ahead on the night.
Ilkay Gundogan hit the post at the other end for Barcelona before their coach Xavi was sent off for a show of dissent on the touchline.
The Catalans were losing their heads and Joao Cancelo clumsily fouled Dembele to hand PSG a penalty.
Mbappe, who had been kept quiet in the first leg, hammered it into the top corner for his 40th goal across all competitions.
The striker’s future may lie in Spain, with Real Madrid aiming to sign him in the summer at the end of his contract, and he made no friends in Barcelona by hopping the advertising hoardings and running towards fans to celebrate.
Another member of Barcelona’s backroom staff was dismissed after Gundogan had a penalty appeal waved away and it became clear the hosts had no response.
Mbappe wrapped up the win in the 89th minute after a fine Ter Stegen double save, leaving Barcelona the victims of another bitterly disappointing night in Europe.
AFP
France secured their place in the quarter-finals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Paraguay in their Round of 16 encounter in Philadelphia on Saturday.
The tightly contested match remained goalless until the 70th minute when France were awarded a penalty after a VAR review confirmed a foul on Désiré Doué inside the area. Captain Kylian Mbappé stepped up and calmly converted the spot-kick, sending the goalkeeper the wrong way to hand Les Bleus the decisive breakthrough.
Paraguay defended resolutely for much of the contest and frustrated the French attack with disciplined organisation, but they struggled to create clear-cut chances at the other end. France controlled possession and continued to press for a second goal, only to be denied on several occasions by Paraguay’s resilient defence and goalkeeper.
Mbappé’s 70th-minute penalty proved enough to separate the sides, extending France’s impressive run in the tournament and keeping alive their bid for a second World Cup title in eight years. The goal also moved the French forward level with the tournament’s leading scorers.
The victory sends France into the quarter-finals, where Didier Deschamps’ side will face Morocco national football team for a place in the last four, while Paraguay bow out after an admirable campaign that included a memorable knockout victory over Germany.
Sports
World Cup 2026: Your larger than life ego is weighing Portugal down- Zlatan Ibrahimovic tells CR7
Former Sweden striker, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, has hit out at Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo amid the ongoing FIFA World Cup.
The former Manchester United and Paris Saint-Germain star claimed that Ronaldo’s ego is holding Roberto Martinez’s side hostage.
According to Ibrahimovic, Ronaldo’s role in Portugal’s starting lineup isn’t legendary leadership, adding that the 41-year-old has lost his touch and mobility.
He also reckons Goncalo Ramos should lead Portugal’s attack after he came off the bench to score the winner during their 2-1 win over Croatia in the Round of 32.
“Portugal fans could have expected what’s happening. You can’t expect to win anything in 2026 with a 41-year-old Cristiano Ronaldo leading the attack,” Ibrahimovic told Fox Sports.
“Especially since Ramos is on the bench, having come on and scored. This isn’t ‘legendary leadership.’ It’s the ego that’s holding the team hostage.
“Ronaldo has lost his touch and mobility. Continuing to start him is pure nostalgia-driven madness.”
Ronaldo has scored three goals so far for Portugal at the World Cup and he will hope to lead his nation to victory when they face Spain be back in action in the Round of 16 on Monday.
Atlas Lions rule in Houston as second-half blitz ends co-hosts’ dream as
Morocco delivered a commanding second-half performance to hammer co-hosts Canada 3-0 on Saturday night, securing a place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The Atlas Lions remained patient throughout the opening 45 minutes as Canada stood firm, with the home crowd creating an electric atmosphere and believing their dream run could continue.
However, Morocco returned from the break with renewed purpose and completely took control of the contest.
The breakthrough goal opened the floodgates before a second strike put the result beyond doubt. A third goal sealed an emphatic victory, leaving Canada with no way back.
By the final whistle, Morocco had dominated possession, controlled the tempo, and capitalised on every mistake made by the Canadians. What started as a competitive encounter ended as a convincing statement of intent from the African side.
The victory sends Morocco into the last eight of the tournament, keeping Africa’s hopes alive on North American soil, while Canada’s World Cup campaign comes to an end on home ground.
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