Europe

MOSCOW — Bayern Munich's Joshua Kimmich volleyed in a 79th-minute winner on Tuesday as they battled past hosts Lokomotiv Moscow 2-1 in their Champions League Group A match to extend their winning run in the competition to 13 consecutive games.

Leon Goretzka headed them in front in the 13th minute but they squandered a string of chances to double their lead and also hit the post before Anton Miranchuk punished their wastefulness following a quick break from Ze Luis.

It’s been a dream start to the campaign for Napoli after a disappointing seventh-place finish last season (apart from the ludicrous fallout of the abandoned Juventus match), and a key to the club’s revival has been the renaissance of Hirving “Chucky” Lozano.

Real Madrid is one step closer to getting its money’s worth for Eden Hazard. The $113 million man is finally back in the squad after last playing on Aug. 7 in a Champions League defeat to Manchester City.

The Belgian’s tenure with Real Madrid has been marred with injuries to put it lightly. A broken fibula that required surgery saw Hazard sidelined for the majority of the 2019-20 campaign. The nightmare of a season for the Belgian saw him score one goal.

The Football Association launched a new drive to increase ethnic and gender diversity at the top levels of English soccer on Tuesday, setting out targets in a bid to reduce the role that personal networks have long played in top-level appointments.

Son Heung-min's prolific start to the season continued with his 76th minute header giving Tottenham Hotspur a 1-0 win at Burnley in the Premier League on Monday and moving Jose Mourinho's side up to fifth.

The South Korean was left unmarked at the back post to nod home his eighth league goal of the season after Harry Kane had flicked on an Erik Lamela corner to give Mourinho's side a third win in six games.

KANE SON

AC Milan and AS Roma drew 3-3 at the San Siro on Monday in a ridiculous match that included a brace for Zlatan Ibrahimović and a late Marash Kumbulla equalizer that only arrived after the 39-year-old Swede failed to clear a corner.

109 seconds into the match, Ibrahimović turned Rafael Leão’s beautiful cross beyond Antonio Mirante for an early lead. 

Rafael Leão to Zlatan Ibrahimovic!

Ibra is now joint-top scorer in Serie A pic.twitter.com/FwzDaB7VmJ

There seems to be a growing consensus on social media that it’s job done after arriving at a European super club or that it’s only onwards and upwards for a player’s career from there. It’s hard not to get excited about CONCACAF footballers at some of the world’s biggest clubs, but it’s also worth remembering that the challenge really only begins once you get through the door.  

Look at Alexander Hleb’s career after arriving at Barcelona or Christian Poulsen at Juventus for examples of dream moves turned into living nightmares.

Juventus should not require a slap to wake up even if the atmosphere at grounds is soporific, coach Andrea Pirlo said after the Serie A champions stumbled to a 1-1 draw against Verona on Sunday.

Pirlo said he could understand players might be influenced by appearing in near-empty stadiums during the COVID-19 pandemic but added that it was something they would have to adapt to.

Former Netherlands forward Marco van Basten believes Manchester United midfielder Donny van de Beek's lack of game time is bad for his rhythm and the 23-year-old should have joined a club where he can play more regularly.

United signed Van de Beek from Ajax on a five-year contract in the close season with British media reporting that they paid the Dutch side an initial fee of $45.59 million. But the Dutch international has made only four substitute appearances in the Premier League and was not used in the 0-0 draw against Chelsea on Saturday.

Manchester United midfielder Paul Pogba on Monday denied media reports that said he quit the France national team over comments made by the country's President Emmanuel Macron which were perceived to be against Islam.

The French leader this month declared war on "Islamist separatism,” which he believes is taking over some Muslim communities in France. The Sun newspaper alleged that Pogba, a practicing Muslim, reacted to Macron's comments by quitting the national team.