From a neutral’s perspective, thank God for Harry Kane. The Tottenham striker scored his 18th and 19th goals of the campaign to keep a bit of pressure on Chelsea before their match against West Ham on Monday. Tottenham defeated Everton 3-2 on Sunday in a match featuring the Premier League’s leading scorers, Kane and Romelu Lukaku.
The result wasn’t what Clint Dempsey and the defending MLS Cup champions wanted, a 2-1 defeat to Houston Dynamo to start their 2017 season, but the USMNT player and his club will be delighted that he was able to play 90 minutes and score a goal after six months out with an irregular heartbeat.
Dempsey was sidelined last August after the issue was diagnosed, making him a spectator for Seattle’s improbable MLS Cup triumph, but he was cleared to return to play this preseason. Dempsey picked up right where he left off for Seattle, scoring their lone goal in a 2-1 defeat to Houston.
18-year-old American attacker Christian Pulisic scored his third Bundesliga goal of the campaign and registered his fifth assist in Borussia Dortmund’s 6-2 victory over Bayer Leverkusen.
Pulisic entered the match in the 44th minute after an injury to Marco Reus forced him off. The German international is expected to be sidelined until April with his latest injury setback.
With Chicharito entering the match in the 66th minute and Wendell pulling a goal back for Bayer to make the scoreline 3-2 in the 74th minute, Pulisic’s composed finish dashed any hopes of a comeback.
Miguel Layun is primarily a fullback and defensive midfielder, but that doesn't stop him from ripping off free kicks like this one in Porto's 7-0 victory over CD Nacional de Madeira.
Señor golazo de Layún con el Porto!!!! #PowerMexicano #PortoxESPN pic.twitter.com/Hwaz8w0n4Y
We're not going to wax poetic about Messi because we've done that many times already. La Pulga tore up Celta Vigo's defense to give Barcelona an early lead Saturday.
GOOOAL!! Leo Messi right on point. @FCBarcelona 1-0 vs. @RCCelta. #beINLaLiga https://t.co/m1hmFDLH1H
After a difficult November and December that saw him go nine La Liga matches without a goal at one point, Atletico Madrid forward Antoine Griezmann is quietly regaining the form that saw him tear up the European Championship and the opening fixtures of La Liga.
Griezmann salvaged a point for Atletico against Deportivo on Thursday after deciding that his two exchanged passes constituted a sufficient buildup and so hammered one from almost 30 yards out. The shot flew over the goalkeeper and into the right-hand corner.
The USWNT won their first game of 2016 with a 1-0 win over a tough German side. Lynn Williams scored the lone goal, but the real story of the match was USWNT manager Jill Ellis continuing to experiment with a back three.
Bobby Wood is quietly haveing a decent first season with Bundesliga side Hamburg. Wood has eight goals in 21 appearances for Hamburg, who are fighting for their lives in the Bundesliga, and just got knocked out of the Dfb Pokal by Borussia Monchengladbach. Hey, Bobby Wood scored though.
Hopefully if Hamburg do in fact get relegated some other Bundesliga team notices his athleticism and finishing ability and scoops him up.
Real Madrid salvaged a point after having Gareth Bale sent off in the 47th minute and Las Palmas leading 3-1 as late as the 85th minute, and it was all thanks to Cristiano Ronaldo.
Barcelona started the day by crushing Sporting Gijon 6-1, so Real Madrid knew that anything less than a victory would cut into their lead at the top. Real’s draw means that Barcelona are now atop the La Liga table by a point, although Los Blancos still maintain a game in hand.
Thanks to animator Weevil888, we get to relive Olivier Giroud’s fantastic scorpion kick goal against Crystal Palace in quality that makes Planet Earth II’s Ultra-high-definition look like garbage. Because now, for the first time ever, it’s been recreated in glorious Lego form.
Olivier Giroud is as dashing a Lego person as you’ll ever see, Alexis Sanchez has got his blue gloves on and some Gunners supporters want “Wenger In” and some want “Wenger Out”.