Soccer
Relaxed Real Betis ready for Sevilla challenge
5 minute read 5:57 PM CSTYou can make a pretty safe guess, based solely on pre-game preparations, as to which of Seville’s football clubs is the most frantic, and which the most confident, ahead of Sunday’s Gran Derbi (11:30 a.m., TSN+).
Sevilla FC manager Matías Almeyda — currently serving a seven-match ban after confronting the officials in a 1-1 draw with Alavés earlier this month — gave his players a rare Tuesday off, and he broke with tradition when he held his final practice of the week behind closed doors.
City rival Real Betis Balompié, meanwhile, enjoyed a combined squad-staff lunch on Thursday, and manager Manuel Pellegrini’s Friday training session was open to the public.
There’s no hiding it. Sevilla, just five points above the relegation places, is panicking. Betis, presently fifth in La Liga, is chilling. And it wants its opponent to know it’s chilling.
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Court to rule on B.C. class-action lawsuit against Whitecaps over Messi no-show
2 minute read Preview 4:51 PM CSTMajor League Soccer’s New England Revolution postpone their home opener because field won’t be ready
1 minute read 5:47 PM CSTFOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) — Major League Soccer's New England Revolution postponed their March 7 home opener against Houston because the field won't be ready at Gillette Stadium.
New England now intends to plays its first home game on March 15 against Cincinnati.
“Due to this week’s historic winter weather in the northeast, the harvesting and delivery of the stadium’s new natural grass field has been delayed,” the team said in a statement Friday. “With field-related stadium infrastructure preparations completed on schedule, the Gillette Stadium field crew is prepared to install the grass when it arrives ahead of the Revolution’s new MLS home opener.”
New England opened with a 4-1 loss at Nashville last weekend and is at the New York Red Bulls on Saturday.
Espí late show gives Levante priceless win over Alaves
2 minute read 5:26 PM CSTVITORIA-GASTEIZ, Spain (AP) — Carlos Espí scored twice in the dying minutes to give Levante a 2-0 win over Alaves on Friday and a vital three points in its fight to avoid relegation from La Liga.
Espí, who came through the youth ranks at the Valencia-based club, had scored only once all season but tripled his tally with a blistering late show against an Alaves side that played the last half hour with 10 men after Víctor Parada was sent off.
Espí's deflected shot in the 88th minute put Levante ahead and he then sparked jubilant scenes with almost the last kick of the game when his assured finish rounded off a counterattack.
"This has been one of my greatest nights," the 20-year old told broadcaster DAZN. "It's incredible."
Oristanio’s late goal cancels stunning Folorunsho strike as Parma draw with Cagliari
2 minute read Preview 4:52 PM CSTBottom club Wolves shock high-flying Aston Villa at Molineux
3 minute read Preview Updated: 5:01 PM CSTLens miss chance to top Ligue 1 after draw with in-form Strasbourg
2 minute read 4:12 PM CSTSTRASBOURG, France (AP) — Lens missed a chance to top Ligue 1 after it fought back from a goal down to draw at Strasbourg 1-1 on Friday.
Argentine striker Joaquin Panichelli scored for the third game in a row to put the home side ahead after 18 minutes at Stade de la Meinau.
Panichelli's 14th goal of the season tied him with Mason Greenwood at the top of the Ligue 1 goalscoring chart.
Lens fought back to equalize 17 minutes into the second half through Mamadou Sangare. A corner kick was cleared to Sangare’s feet and his first-time drive flew through a forest of legs and into the bottom corner.
Augsburg beats Cologne to go record-equalling eight straight games unbeaten at home
2 minute read Preview 3:55 PM CSTJosh Sargent leaves Norwich City for Major League Soccer’s Toronto in messy departure
3 minute read Preview Updated: 2:47 PM CSTChampions League’s Cinderella club Bodø/Glimt rises after cash-driven Super League rejected
5 minute read Preview 1:32 PM CSTSheinbaum says FIFA will visit Mexico to assess World Cup security and mobility
3 minute read Preview Updated: 1:50 PM CSTNeymar scores milestone 2 for Santos and boosts case to be in Brazil World Cup squad
2 minute read Preview Updated: 11:41 AM CSTFulham winger Kevin to miss several weeks with foot injury
1 minute read 11:03 AM CSTLONDON (AP) — Fulham's Brazilian winger Kevin will be sidelined for weeks because of a foot injury that likely requires surgery, manager Marco Silva said Friday.
The 23-year-old Kevin, who has three goals and three assists in 28 appearances this season, was injured in the 3-1 win over Sunderland last Sunday in the Premier League.
Silva said the forward has an injury to his fifth metatarsal and is “probably going to have surgery."
“It’s a big blow for us and for him personally,” Silva said.
Lionel Messi knocked down as fans storm the pitch during Inter Miami friendly in Puerto Rico
2 minute read Preview Updated: 1:53 PM CSTPSG hit by injuries ahead of Champions League round of 16 face-off with Chelsea
2 minute read Preview 7:36 AM CSTItalian derby between Roma and Bologna drawn in Europa League round of 16. Aston Villa gets Lille
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