Bob Bradley got his first victory as manager of Swansea City at the sixth time of asking, the Swans earning a vital three points in a nine-goal thriller with struggling Crystal Palace.
Bob Bradley is the first American manager in history to win a Premier League game.
What a way to do it! pic.twitter.com/qcdK85Jjde— Squawka Football (@Squawka) November 26, 2016
Barcelona defeated Celtic 2-0 in Scotland, the Hoops providing a better account of themselves following their 7-0 drubbing in the reverse fixture at the Camp Nou. Barcelona’s victory made them Group C winners with Manchester City and Borussia Monchengladbach battling to a 1-1 draw in the group's other fixture.
Any Barcelona goal yields a plethora of astounding statistics, and Lionel Messi’s opener in the 24th minute was no different. Neymar provided the assist, and it was already his seventh of this Champions League campaign, equalling the all-time mark for a single season.
In Istanbul, the most dangerous lead you can hold is 3-0. Just ask AC Milan. 16 years after the original Miracle in Istanbul in the Champions League final, Besiktas mounted their own furious three-goal comeback against Benfica at the Vodafone Arena in the same city.
Goncalo Guedes, Nelsinho and Ljubomir Fejsa put the visitors up 3-0 by the 31st minute, and Besiktas still hadn’t managed to get on the scoresheet by the start of the second half. However, a phenomenal scissor volley from Cenk Tosun, like Steven Gerrard before him, triggered the heartfelt comeback.
It’s the age old question we’ve always wanted an answer to: yes, Bayern Munich are a great side, but can they do it on a freezing cold night the federal subject of Russia known as Yaroslavl Oblast? No is the definitive answer — FC Hollywood is soft, and now they're in crisis.
Two things stood out during the MLS Western Conference final first-leg in between the Rapids and the Sounders in Seattle. First, the lines on the field were markedly straight and where they were supposed to be in relation to the other lines on the field. Said lines did not need to be redrawn or painted over in a manner that would cause the game to be delayed. The lines marking the 18-yard box were particularly well-measured.
It’s been an extremely mixed season in the Premier League for Leicester City, but the magic of their 2015-16 campaign has clearly followed them abroad. With a 2-1 victory over Club Brugge on Tuesday, Leicester City clinched the top spot in Group G, ahead of two-time Champions League winners FC Porto.
BREAKING: Leicester City qualify for the @ChampionsLeague last 16. pic.twitter.com/gBUdPH9TSt
For all of Tottenham’s sustained excellence throughout the 2015-16 Premier League season, they’ve now got absolutely nothing to show for it. Arsenal infamously pipped Spurs to the runner-up position on the final day of the season, launching an improbable St. Totteringham’s Day, and they’ve now thrown away their reward for finishing third by being eliminated in the Champions League group stage.
Providence provided the upset of the 2016 Men's NCAA Tournament by shocking top-ranked and previously undefeated Maryland 5-4 in the second round. Even more stunning than the upset was how they went about achieving it.
Down 4-1 in the 54th minute, the Friars' season appeared all but over. However, Providence got a glimmer of hope in the 70th minute, Julian Gressel scoring his second of the match and cutting the defecit to 4-2. Thirty six seconds later, Nick Sailor scored his first goal of the season for Providence with a stunning effort from 30 yards out.
Goals from Liverpool duo Daniel Sturridge and Adam Lallana and Chelsea’s Gary Cahill lifted England to a 3-0 victory over Scotland in World Cup qualifying at Wembley Stadium.
England’s impeccable qualifying record continues, the Three Lions firmly in control of UEFA’s Group F following three wins and a draw from four matches. With Liverpool in tremendous Premier League form, it was no surprise to see Sturridge and Lallana get on the scoresheet while Jordan Henderson pulled the strings from midfield.
“We need to change this s---ty situation. We didn't expect this result. It could have even been worse. We weren't able to react,” Lionel Messi said after Thursday’s match, summing up their loss to Brazil as well as anyone could.
Judging by their recent form and the fact that Brazil never lost a World Cup Qualifiers match at home, it would be no stretch to predict a draw or a win against Argentina.