“For me, the national team is over. I’ve done all I can. It hurts not to be a champion…It was the thing I wanted the most, but I couldn’t get it, so I think it’s over.” These are the words Lionel Messi uttered following Argentina’s Copa America final defeat to Chile, and once again, the significance and truth behind the sentiment rings loud and clear.
So you think you know all about Narcos just because you’ve watched all three seasons of the eponymous Netflix show? Well, think again. There are likely still a couple things you don’t know about the link between soccer and drug trafficking, with major drug kingpins linked to soccer stars.
Newly promoted Lobos BUAP continued their impressive form in the Apertura with a 2-1 victory over Guadalajara at the Estadio Chivas on Tuesday night. Luis Advincula gave the visitors the lead before Rodolfo Pizarro equalized for Chivas early in the second half. The home side dominated possession but the match-winner arrived in the 85th minute in spectacular fashion courtesy of Lobos attacker Amaury Escoto.
Real Sociedad have quietly gone about assembling one of the strongest squads in all of La Liga, but their promising start to the season was brought to a halt by Levante center half Chema Rodriguez last night. Levante would ultimately win 3-0, but it was Chema’s wonder goal on the stroke of halftime that put his side ahead for good.
Real Madrid came into their match against Real Betis Wednesday four points behind Barcelona in La Liga, needing a win.
Fortunately, they got Cristiano Ronaldo back from suspension, and he showed during the Champions League last week that he hadn't accumulated any rust during his break.
Want the definition of a miracle? Take Peru, a country that hasn't qualified for a World Cup since 1982 and is now closer than ever. Want the definition of a catastrophe? Take Argentina, who in recent years has lost a total of three finals and could get left out of next summer's World Cup in Russia entirely.
Syria needed a win or a tie Tuesday against Iran to keep its World Cup hopes alive. Down 2-1 going into stoppage time, it looked like the dream was dead.
And then it wasn't.
Absolute scenes. 93rd minute equaliser to keep Syria's World Cup dream alive. Pitch invasion. The works pic.twitter.com/Uk4hIlZebh
— Chris Deeley (@ThatChris1209) September 5, 2017
With a 1-0 victory over Newcastle United, Huddersfield Town rose to second place in the Premier League table, sitting behind Manchester United on goal difference alone. We’re only two weeks into the season, but the Terriers are off to an almighty flyer in the top division.
German-American coach David Wagner and his squad are Invincibles.
This week’s result isn’t as eye-catching as their 3-0 win over Crystal Palace, but Huddersfield looked exceptionally more qualified for life in the Premier League than fellow newcomers Newcastle.
The 2017 Copa Libertadores round of 16 wrapped up last Thursday, and among the advancing quarterfinalists will be some of the usual South American powers. Traditional favorites will be three-time winners River Plate and Santos, two-time champions Gremio and 2014 victors San Lorenzo.
But four remaining sides have never captured the Copa Libertadores trophy in their history: Brazil’s Botafogo, Argentina’s Lanus, Ecuador’s Barcelona and Bolivia’s Jorge Wilstermann.
When it comes to the notoriously ill-advised FIFA World Ranking system, there’s generally a lot to laugh at. Nations are cruelly punished by virtue of not playing (the United States, unbeaten since November of 2016, drops 12 places to 35th) while others largely benefit by playing lesser sides in meaningful competition (Poland is up to sixth after waxing Romania in World Cup qualifying).