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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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

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Osimhen’s double sends Mourinho’s Fenerbahce out of Turkish Cup

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Victor Osimhen delivered a stunning performance on Wednesday as his brace secured Galatasaray a 2-1 victory over Fenerbahce in the final stage of the Turkish Cup, eliminating José Mourinho’s side from the competition.

Osimhen opened the scoring in the 10th minute, putting Galatasaray ahead with a well-taken shot from the edge of the box.

The Nigerian striker then doubled his tally in the 27th minute from the penalty spot, giving his team a comfortable 2-0 lead before halftime.

Fenerbahce managed to pull one back just before the break, with Sebastian Szymański finding the net in first-half stoppage time (45+1’), but it was not enough to turn the tide.

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Despite late attempts to equalize, including substitutions involving Mert Yandaş and Kerem Demirbay in the 90+2 minute, Mourinho’s side fell short as Galatasaray held on for the win.

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Super Eagles Must Defeat South Africa to qualify for 2026 World – Eric Chelle

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Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle has underscored the pivotal significance of securing a victory against the Bafana Bafana of South Africa to keep Nigeria’s hopes alive for the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification.

The much-anticipated World Cup qualifier between Nigeria and South Africa is set to take place in September, marking the eighth matchday of the qualification series. With only four rounds of matches remaining, the stakes are incredibly high for the Super Eagles as they aim to close the gap in Group C standings.

Currently, Bafana Bafana, under the guidance of coach Hugo Broos, lead the group with 13 points from six matches, holding a commanding six-point advantage over the Super Eagles. This scenario makes the upcoming fixtures even more crucial for Nigeria’s qualification ambitions.

Coach Eric Chelle acknowledged the pressing need for his team to secure maximum points from their remaining matches to stay in contention for a World Cup berth. Speaking to SCORENigeria, he emphasized the importance of an away victory against South Africa but also cautioned against looking too far ahead.

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“We must triumph in South Africa; however, our immediate focus must be on the match against Rwanda in Uyo,” Chelle stated, reinforcing the necessity of taking each game step by step.

Recognizing the strengths of the South African team, Chelle admitted that the Super Eagles must be tactically disciplined to prevent their opponents from gaining control of the game. “While they are a formidable side, we cannot afford to let them dictate the pace of the game,” he noted.

However, before shifting full focus to the challenge posed by Bafana Bafana, Chelle stressed the importance of first securing victory against Rwanda at home. A win in Uyo would boost the team’s morale and position them strongly ahead of their crucial away encounter in South Africa.

As the qualification race intensifies, the Super Eagles will need to demonstrate resilience, strategic discipline, and attacking efficiency to keep their World Cup dreams alive. Nigerian football fans eagerly await how the team will rise to the challenge in these decisive fixtures.

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Saka scores as Arsenal beat Fulham to close gap on Liverpool

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Bukayo Saka marked his return from injury with a goal as Arsenal defeated Fulham 2-1 on Tuesday, cutting the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to nine points.

The England international, who had been sidelined for 101 days, came off the bench to head in Arsenal’s second goal on his first appearance since December 21. Mikel Merino had earlier given the Gunners the lead with a deflected first-half effort.

Despite the win, Arsenal suffered a setback as key defender Gabriel Magalhães limped off with an injury.

Jurrien Timber also left the pitch late on with a knee problem, adding to Mikel Arteta’s injury concerns ahead of next week’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid.

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“(We are) worried because he never wants to come off, and he had to,” Arteta said about Gabriel. “He felt he could not continue.”

Saka’s return was met with a rousing ovation from the Emirates crowd.

“It was a good opportunity to see how much people love him and missed him,” Arteta said. “The reception he got was magnificent. He lifts the stadium, and I am so happy for him because he fully deserves it.”

Rodrigo Muniz scored a stoppage-time goal for Fulham, but the defeat dents their hopes of qualifying for European football next season. The Cottagers remain eighth, three points behind a top-five finish that could secure a Champions League spot next season.

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While Liverpool remain in control of the title race, Arsenal’s top-five finish looks assured, as they now sit 14 points clear of sixth-placed Newcastle.

Arteta’s side are on course for a second consecutive runners-up finish, but with Saka back in action, they will hope to push Liverpool until the end—and make a deep run in Europe’s elite competition.

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