Amazing Goals

Nothing ignites the kindling like Liverpool versus Milan — two clubs that’ve combined to appear in 20 Champions League finals and contested the greatest of them all — and Wednesday night’s group stage encounter at Anfield was a wildfire.    

The first half was a miniature reversal of the “Miracle of Istanbul.” Liverpool dominated the opening 40 minutes with wave after wave of pressure while Milan struggled to break through the press. The stat that best exemplified the one-way action was Liverpool earning 10 corners in the first half to Milan’s zero. 

Futsal’s importance to developing great footballers has never been a secret. 

Brazil is the standard-bearer of the hard court game that favors ball control, passing in tight spaces and creativity over any sort of physical advantage. Ronaldinho, Ronaldo, Neymar, Pelé and Philipe Coutinho all played extensively in their youth, and what they learned and practiced on the court translated beautifully onto the pitch.

After going 35 Premier League games without a goal, Andros Townsend — reunited at last with Rafa Benítez at Everton — scored the sort of goal that only Andros Townsend can produce. It was a beautifully shaped 25-yard effort that was equal parts violence and precision, and the go-ahead strike in Everton’s 3-1 win over Burnley on Monday night. 

With 10 points from four games (good for fourth in the table) and Townsend already scoring one and creating two, Benítez is quickly winning over Goodison Park with his decision-making.

Manchester United is filthy. Filthy filthy filthy. The Red Devils defeated Newcastle 4-1 on Saturday in a wildly entertaining match that featured the homecoming of Cristiano Ronaldo.

Old Trafford gave the warmest of welcomes to Ronaldo who started his first game for Manchester United in over a decade.

"NUMBER SEVEN, CRISTIANO RONALDO!"

The noise inside Old Trafford as Ronaldo's name is announced in Manchester United's starting XI pic.twitter.com/fivRej0qs5

By scoring Argentina’s opener against Bolivia in World Cup qualifying on Thursday night and then adding a second and third, Lionel Messi moved ahead of Pelé in terms of most international goals amongst South American footballers with 79. 

A massive Group G World Cup qualifier between first-place Turkey and second-place Netherlands resulted in a famous 6-1 victory for Louis van Gaal’s side in Amsterdam.

The Netherlands moved to the top of the group with 13 points from six games, while Turkey dropped to third after Norway took care of business against Gibraltar to climb into the second-place spot. It’s going to be an almighty battle between the three nations over the final four matchdays, but it’d be shocking to see Holland slip-up now.

DAR-ES-SALAAM - Tanzania were awarded one of the fastest penalties in international football after five seconds of Tuesday’s World Cup qualifier against Madagascar.

Ugandan referee Mashood Ssali pointed to the spot when a long ball from kickoff was chased by Tanzania’s Simon Mvusa, who was clumsily clattered into by Malagasy goalkeeper Melvin Adrien, who plays club football in France’s fourth division.

Heading into Saturday’s football 5-a-side gold medal match at the Summer Paralympics, Brazil took the status of favorite as the gold medal winner at each of the last four tournaments.  

South American rival Argentina, however, had claimed silver once and bronze twice over that period, and boasted Tokyo 2020’s leading scorer in Maximiliano Espinillo, who’d already recorded seven goals in four games.