Sport
Harry Kane scores wondergoal but ex-Premier League star silences Bayern Munich with stunning hat-trick for Barcelona
HARRY KANE was dubbed the “best striker in the world” for his genius finish against Barcelona.
But it was another ex-Premier League star who grabbed the match-ball and the headlines.
The England captain, 31, saw his Bayern Munich side fall behind with just 57 seconds on the clock.
But he responded in some style at the Barcelona Olympic Stadium – used while the Nou Camp is renovated.
With 18 minutes gone, Michael Olise switched the play to Serge Gnabry in the left channel.
And the former Arsenal man got into the box before crossing for the ex-Tottenham striker.
READ MORE ON CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
It flashed across the face of goal at pace and at a difficult height.
But Kane showed expert ability to acrobatically redivert the volley with his instep.
The ball flew back past Barca goalkeeper Inaki Pena Sotorres and into the net as the No9 landed on the turf after his flying finish.
And fans could not get enough of the “beautiful” goal from the special striker, whose 34 Champions League goals have all come from inside the area.
FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS
One said: “Harry Kane is the best striker in the world.”
Another wrote: “Harry Kane is a very very very very very good football player.”
A third added: “Harry Kane is an insane player.”
And a final user replied: “That Kane finish… WOW.”
Ironically, it was the second time on the night Kane had found that corner of the net.
However, his initial celebrations were cut short when his tenth-minute header was ruled out by VAR for a marginal offside.
Even so, his exquisite equaliser took Kane’s tally in this season’s Champions League to five – top of the Golden Boot race.
He hit four, including four penalties, as Bayern thumped Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 but he fired a blank in the shock 1-0 defeat at Aston Villa.
That also sees Kane way out in front as the top scorer in the Champions League since the start of last season – with his 13 four clear of Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior on nine.
But aside from his personal triumph and numbers, it turned into a nightmare evening for Kane in Spain.
Barcelona made the best start possible as captain Raphinha pounced on a super high line and a defensive error.
Joshua Kimmich messed up his clearance and the ex-Leeds man raced through before rounding Manuel Neuer to break the deadlock in the first minute.
But following Kane’s equaliser, Barca retook the lead when Robert Lewandowski knocked into an ungarded net against his former employers.
The goal was allowed to stand when a push on Kim Min-jae as he jumped to head clear was judged by VAR not to be enough for a foul in the build-up.
And it was 3-1 on the stroke of half-time.
A gorgeous inch-perfect cross-field 60-yard pass from Marc Casado picked out Raphinha and he jinxed into the area before curling into the far corner beyond the diving Neuer.
Lamine Yamal arguably delivered an even better ball ten minutes after the break, though, as Raphinha took it down superbly on his chest, raced clear and took his shot early to find the bottom corner and complete a stunning hat-trick.
That prompted a quadruple sub from fuming Bayern boss Vincent Kompany.
Raphinha was given a standing ovation when withdrawn on 76 minutes – although he had already handed the armband over to the returning Frenkie de Jong earlier on in the second half.
Lewandowski should have made it 5-1 late on but somehow didn’t turn home Yamal’s brilliant dinked cross.
Sport
NBA: LA Clippers 113-116 Phoenix Suns – Kevin Durant & Bradley Beal shine for Suns
Kevin Durant scored 25 points and Bradley Beal 24 as the Phoenix Suns opened their NBA season with a 116-113 overtime win against the Los Angeles Clippers.
Durant scored inside the final 30 seconds of regulation time to tie the game at 103-103, although James Harden’s buzzer beater for the Clippers bounced off the rim.
Beal put the Suns – playing a competitive match at their Intuit Dome stadium for the first time – 114-110 ahead with one minute 20 seconds left in overtime thanks to a pair of free throws.
Harden had the chance to level the scores when he missed the second of two free throws with five seconds remaining, before Jusuf Nurkic scored two free throws at the other end.
Football
Euro 2025 play-offs: Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland fixtures to be shown on BBC
Euro 2025 will feature 16 nations and, as hosts, Switzerland qualified automatically for the competition.
Reigning champions England were among eight teams who booked their place during the group phase.
The remaining seven spots are being contested by 28 nations.
They consist of the League A nations that failed to qualify automatically, the League B countries who did not finish bottom of their group, the League C group winners, and the three best sides from League C that finished second in their group.
Azerbaijan, who finished bottom of their League B group, were also entered into the play-offs as the next best placed side because group winners Switzerland were already assured of their spot.
For the first round of play-offs, the eight sides from League A were drawn against the eight nations from League C. The 12 teams from League B were drawn alongside other League B nations.
The 14 losers in the first round of play-off qualifying will be eliminated.
The 14 winners will advance into the second play-off round. The draw for the second round play-offs has already been made.
Euro 2025 second play-off round qualifying draw:
-
Azerbaijan or Portugal v Belarus or Czech Republic
-
Hungary or Scotland v Montenegro or Finland
-
Turkey or Ukraine v Greece or Belgium
-
Slovakia or Wales v Georgia or Republic of Ireland
-
Romania or Poland v Slovenia or Austria
-
Croatia or Northern Ireland v Albania or Norway
-
Bosnia & Herzegovina or Serbia v Luxembourg or Sweden
Ties to be played between 27 November and 3 December.
Sport
Premier League chiefs fear ‘unprecedented and untested powers’ for regulator risks wrecking English football
PREMIER LEAGUE chiefs fear “unprecedented and untested powers” given to the new independent regulator could wreck English football.
The government’s Football Governance Bill will be introduced in the House of Lords today.
A clause requiring the regulator to consider government “foreign and trade policy” when approving club takeovers — which threatened to see Uefa boot England out of the Euros over political interference — has been withdrawn.
Prem bigwigs still fear “rigid, banking-style regulation could have a negative impact on the league’s competitiveness and the aspiration that drives our global appeal and growth.”
But the regulator has been backed by EFL chief Rick Parry.
He said: “The bill has been framed in a way that will enable the new regulator to protect and achieve the sustainability of clubs across the entire football pyramid.”
New regulator powers in the bill include parachute payments for relegated clubs, consulting fans on ticket pricing and home stadium relocations, plus supporter representation at clubs.
Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy declared: “English football is one of our greatest exports and a source of national pride.
“But for too long financial instability meant loyal fans risked losing their cherished clubs as a result of mismanagement and reckless spending.
“This bill seeks to redress the balance, putting fans back at the heart of the game, taking on rogue owners and crucially helping put clubs up and down the country on a sound financial footing.”
FOOTBALL FREE BETS AND SIGN UP DEALS
Sports Minister Stephanie Peacock added: “This strengthened bill puts fans firmly back at the centre of the game.”
More than 200 fan groups signed an open letter from the Football Supporters’ Association earlier this year, calling on all parties to back the new bill.
Uefa general secretary Theodore Theodoridis had said the “foreign policy” clause would amount to government interference — risking the “ultimate sanction” of excluding teams from their competitions.
England are due to co-host the Euro 2028 with the other home nations and Ireland.
Sport
Craig Harrison: From shutting off the world to taking on Europe
Thankfully they didn’t. The clouds lifted, enough at least to begin a new path with the help of current partner Danielle in her hometown of Chester.
Just not in football, Harrison still – as he puts it – “poisoned” by his experiences, not even watching games on TV and instead spending days on projects renovating and selling properties.
But then he turned 30 and serendipity took over, starting with a surprise birthday party.
With Danielle organising the celebration, the band she booked had let her down and, by chance, former Wrexham midfielder and keen amateur guitarist Gareth Owen was in the duo who answered an SOS to provide the background music.
Over a few beers, talk naturally turned to football. Owen, then player-manager at Welsh side Airbus, needed an assistant.
“I wasn’t interested,” Harrison recalls. “It still took a couple of weeks before he rang again, we met for a coffee, and he talked me around into saying ‘Let’s give it a go’ and I was helping out with training a couple of times a week.”
The chain reaction that led to that Fiorentina touchline had begun.
Within the year, Owen left. Harrison, with the poison gone, was moved up to manager, hurriedly booking himself on to a Football Association of Wales coaching course to try and complete the required badges.
It started with him being “a typical, arrogant ex-footballer” not interested in listening to classroom coaches, but he soon became fully invested.
Within three years Harrison was managing the Welsh champions TNS, conscious players such as Wales’ Steve Evans were little more than a year his junior, but embracing the new path he had not looked for.
With attractive football, silverware and a world record 27-match winning run, that road soon took him to Hartlepool, recently relegated from the Football League, but – in keeping – it didn’t go to plan. “Horrendous” is how Harrison puts it after being sacked within seven months.
“I was always going to take my family there with me and Danielle was fully supportive, as she always has been,” he says.
“But they had the gall to demand that commitment to bring my family 200 miles with me – and yet within seven months I was being told by the same owner nothing was going to be paid. The telephone bills. The heating. The players. Me. One game at Dagenham we had to play in our away kit and didn’t have any training gear because of a laundry bill.”
Sport
Pant set to keep wickets, India will decide on Bumrah’s workload after Pune Test: Gambhir- The Week
Rishabh Pant has “no injury concerns” and is set to keep wickets for India while the team will decide on Jasprit Bumrah’s workload after the second Test against New Zealand starting here on Thursday, said head coach Gautam Gambhir.
Pant copped a blow on the second day of the opening Test in Bengaluru and was replaced by Dhruv Jurel behind the wickets. Pant returned to score a fluent 99 in the second innings but did not keep wickets.
Pant had a hit at the nets and also had a wicket-keeping drill with Gambhir on Tuesday.
“Absolutely,” Gambhir said on Wednesday when asked if everything was fine with the wicketkeeper-batter.
“I think he’s going to keep wickets tomorrow. (There are) no other fitness concerns,” he added.
Bumrah has played each of the three Tests at home this season and with the Australia tour less than a month away, India will decide on resting the ace fast bowler after the second Test.
“Once the series is over, we still have around 10 or 12 days before the (first) Test starts in Australia. That is enough break for our fast bowlers as well. But we will still monitor after this Test match where Jasprit Bumrah is,” Gambhir said.
“But it’s not only about Jasprit Bumrah. It’s about with all the fast bowlers as well. We want to keep them fresh. We know that obviously we’ve got a long tour and an important tour of Australia.
“Workload management will definitely depend on what the outcome of this Test match is and how much have they bowled in this match,” he added.
Gambhir said that Shubman Gill, who missed the Bengaluru Test due to stiffness in his neck, will play the match as the No. 3 batter has attained full match fitness.
“Shubman Gill isn’t coming into the side, he was already there. He was injured in the last match. It’s not the case that he’s new to the team. Because of the injury, he didn’t play the last match. He had an issue with his neck.
“Given how he performed against Bangladesh, he will come back into the playing XI. The rest of the team will be decided tomorrow (Thursday morning before toss),” he said.
Gambhir underlined his coaching philosophy of putting more emphasis on wins even against all odds, as India staged a remarkable fightback in Bengaluru.
“This is why we call cricket and sports as big levellers. If you enjoyed such days as we did in Kanpur, then you will have to accept such days as we did in Bangalore,” he said.
“But the good thing was that despite being all out for 46, we were still looking to win the Test that was important. This is the way we want to play cricket. I have said before (also) that our first option will always be to win and the second option will be to draw.”
“There was no such intention in the second innings that we were looking to play out the next two-and-a-half days. We were thinking about how to make the match out of it and if you ask me, we were probably 100 runs away,” he added.
Gambhir said India showed the intent with which they want to play Test cricket in the opening match.
“I don’t think there will be many teams who will be thinking like this even after being shot out for 46, when you have to bat more than two-and-a-half days but this is the quality (we have) and this is the kind of cricket we want to play in the future,” he said.
Gambhir said batting to save a Test is not likely anymore since T20 cricket has made batters more aggressive.
“To a certain extent, it’s good because when I batted in Napier, the T20 format was just introduced,” said India’s 2007 T20 World Cup winner.
“Now, with so much of T20 cricket around, you expect players to be more aggressive. The game has changed and we have to accept that as well. We will need a lot of temperament and a lot of mental toughness to bat for two or two-and-a-half days.
“But again, if the decision of the leadership group or the team management is to just go there and still try to win the game, that is very important.”
“Had we decided to bat two-and-a-half days, the guys would have batted much differently. But the intention was always to make the game out of it, irrespective of where we are (and) how much behind we are in the game,” he added.
Football
LeBron and Bronny James make history as first father-son duo to play together in the NBA | Speak
Paul Pierce, Keyshawn Johnson and Joy Taylor share their thoughts on LeBron and Bronny James making history as first father-son duo to play in the NBA.
Source link
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Hyperelastic gel is one of the stretchiest materials known to science
-
Technology4 weeks ago
Is sharing your smartphone PIN part of a healthy relationship?
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
‘Running of the bulls’ festival crowds move like charged particles
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Maxwell’s demon charges quantum batteries inside of a quantum computer
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
How to unsnarl a tangle of threads, according to physics
-
Technology1 month ago
Would-be reality TV contestants ‘not looking real’
-
Science & Environment4 weeks ago
X-rays reveal half-billion-year-old insect ancestor
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Sunlight-trapping device can generate temperatures over 1000°C
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Liquid crystals could improve quantum communication devices
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Ukraine is using AI to manage the removal of Russian landmines
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Quantum ‘supersolid’ matter stirred using magnets
-
Womens Workouts1 month ago
3 Day Full Body Women’s Dumbbell Only Workout
-
TV3 weeks ago
সারাদেশে দিনব্যাপী বৃষ্টির পূর্বাভাস; সমুদ্রবন্দরে ৩ নম্বর সংকেত | Weather Today | Jamuna TV
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Laser helps turn an electron into a coil of mass and charge
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Why this is a golden age for life to thrive across the universe
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
A new kind of experiment at the Large Hadron Collider could unravel quantum reality
-
News3 weeks ago
Massive blasts in Beirut after renewed Israeli air strikes
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Samsung Passkeys will work with Samsung’s smart home devices
-
Business3 weeks ago
When to tip and when not to tip
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Microphone made of atom-thick graphene could be used in smartphones
-
Football3 weeks ago
Rangers & Celtic ready for first SWPL derby showdown
-
News3 weeks ago
▶ Hamas Spent $1B on Tunnels Instead of Investing in a Future for Gaza’s People
-
News3 weeks ago
Navigating the News Void: Opportunities for Revitalization
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Quantum forces used to automatically assemble tiny device
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
A slight curve helps rocks make the biggest splash
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Nerve fibres in the brain could generate quantum entanglement
-
MMA2 weeks ago
‘Uncrowned queen’ Kayla Harrison tastes blood, wants UFC title run
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
How to wrap your mind around the real multiverse
-
Technology1 month ago
Meta has a major opportunity to win the AI hardware race
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Physicists have worked out how to melt any material
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
ITER: Is the world’s biggest fusion experiment dead after new delay to 2035?
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Nuclear fusion experiment overcomes two key operating hurdles
-
News1 month ago
▶️ Hamas in the West Bank: Rising Support and Deadly Attacks You Might Not Know About
-
MMA3 weeks ago
Julianna Peña trashes Raquel Pennington’s behavior as champ
-
Business3 weeks ago
DoJ accuses Donald Trump of ‘private criminal effort’ to overturn 2020 election
-
MMA3 weeks ago
Pereira vs. Rountree prediction: Champ chases legend status
-
Sport3 weeks ago
Wales fall to second loss of WXV against Italy
-
Sport3 weeks ago
Man City ask for Premier League season to be DELAYED as Pep Guardiola escalates fixture pile-up row
-
Sport3 weeks ago
Boxing: World champion Nick Ball set for Liverpool homecoming against Ronny Rios
-
News1 month ago
▶️ Media Bias: How They Spin Attack on Hezbollah and Ignore the Reality
-
Technology4 weeks ago
Why Machines Learn: A clever primer makes sense of what makes AI possible
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Time travel sci-fi novel is a rip-roaringly good thought experiment
-
MMA3 weeks ago
Dana White’s Contender Series 74 recap, analysis, winner grades
-
Technology3 weeks ago
This AI video generator can melt, crush, blow up, or turn anything into cake
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Musk faces SEC questions over X takeover
-
News3 weeks ago
‘Blacks for Trump’ and Pennsylvania progressives play for undecided voters
-
News3 weeks ago
Family plans to honor hurricane victim using logs from fallen tree that killed him
-
News1 month ago
the pick of new debut fiction
-
News1 month ago
Our millionaire neighbour blocks us from using public footpath & screams at us in street.. it’s like living in a WARZONE – WordupNews
-
Sport3 weeks ago
World’s sexiest referee Claudia Romani shows off incredible figure in animal print bikini on South Beach
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Microsoft just dropped Drasi, and it could change how we handle big data
-
Technology3 weeks ago
The best budget robot vacuums for 2024
-
MMA3 weeks ago
Pereira vs. Rountree preview show live stream
-
Business3 weeks ago
Chancellor Rachel Reeves says she needs to raise £20bn. How might she do it?
-
Money3 weeks ago
Wetherspoons issues update on closures – see the full list of five still at risk and 26 gone for good
-
Business3 weeks ago
Bank of England warns of ‘future stress’ from hedge fund bets against US Treasuries
-
MMA3 weeks ago
Alex Pereira faces ‘trap game’ vs. Khalil Rountree
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Gmail gets redesigned summary cards with more data & features
-
Business3 weeks ago
Sterling slides after Bailey says BoE could be ‘a bit more aggressive’ on rates
-
Sport3 weeks ago
China Open: Carlos Alcaraz recovers to beat Jannik Sinner in dramatic final
-
News3 weeks ago
German Car Company Declares Bankruptcy – 200 Employees Lose Their Jobs
-
Sport3 weeks ago
Sturm Graz: How Austrians ended Red Bull’s title dominance
-
MMA3 weeks ago
UFC 307 preview show: Will Alex Pereira’s wild ride continue, or does Khalil Rountree shock the world?
-
Sport3 weeks ago
Aaron Ramsdale: Southampton goalkeeper left Arsenal for more game time
-
Technology3 weeks ago
The best shows on Max (formerly HBO Max) right now
-
TV3 weeks ago
Love Island star sparks feud rumours as one Islander is missing from glam girls’ night
-
Sport3 weeks ago
Coco Gauff stages superb comeback to reach China Open final
-
Entertainment3 weeks ago
New documentary explores actor Christopher Reeve’s life and legacy
-
News3 weeks ago
Woman who died of cancer ‘was misdiagnosed on phone call with GP’
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Texas is suing TikTok for allegedly violating its new child privacy law
-
Technology3 weeks ago
OpenAI secured more billions, but there’s still capital left for other startups
-
Business3 weeks ago
Head of UK Competition Appeal Tribunal to step down after rebuke for serious misconduct
-
Business3 weeks ago
The search for Japan’s ‘lost’ art
-
Business3 weeks ago
Stark difference in UK and Ireland’s budgets
-
MMA3 weeks ago
Ketlen Vieira vs. Kayla Harrison pick, start time, odds: UFC 307
-
News3 weeks ago
Heavy strikes shake Beirut as Israel expands Lebanon campaign
-
Technology3 weeks ago
J.B. Hunt and UP.Labs launch venture lab to build logistics startups
-
TV3 weeks ago
Phillip Schofield accidentally sets his camp on FIRE after using emergency radio to Channel 5 crew
-
News3 weeks ago
Heartbreaking end to search as body of influencer, 27, found after yacht party shipwreck on ‘Devil’s Throat’ coastline
-
Health & fitness3 weeks ago
NHS surgeon who couldn’t find his scalpel cut patient’s chest open with the penknife he used to slice up his lunch
-
News3 weeks ago
Balancing India and China Is the Challenge for Sri Lanka’s Dissanayake
-
Science & Environment1 month ago
Physicists are grappling with their own reproducibility crisis
-
Technology4 weeks ago
Russia is building ground-based kamikaze robots out of old hoverboards
-
Science & Environment3 weeks ago
Markets watch for dangers of further escalation
-
Football3 weeks ago
Simo Valakari: New St Johnstone boss says Scotland special in his heart
-
Football3 weeks ago
Why does Prince William support Aston Villa?
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Popular financial newsletter claims Roblox enables child sexual abuse
-
News3 weeks ago
Hull KR 10-8 Warrington Wolves – Robins reach first Super League Grand Final
-
Technology3 weeks ago
How to disable Google Assistant on your Pixel Watch 3
-
Technology3 weeks ago
A very underrated horror movie sequel is streaming on Max
-
MMA3 weeks ago
‘I was fighting on automatic pilot’ at UFC 306
-
Entertainment3 weeks ago
“Golden owl” treasure hunt launched decades ago may finally have been solved
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney renews blast at ‘gatekeeper’ platform owners
-
News3 weeks ago
Liverpool secure win over Bologna on a night that shows this format might work
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Amazon’s Ring just doubled the price of its alarm monitoring service for grandfathered customers
-
Travel3 weeks ago
I transformed into Plague Doctor for horrors that awaited me at London Dungeon… I was still shaking by the end – The Sun
-
Technology3 weeks ago
Apple iPhone 16 Plus vs Samsung Galaxy S24+
-
TV3 weeks ago
Maayavi (මායාවී) | Episode 23 | 02nd October 2024 | Sirasa TV
-
Business3 weeks ago
Maurice Terzini’s insider guide to Sydney
-
Politics3 weeks ago
Rosie Duffield’s savage departure raises difficult questions for Keir Starmer. He’d be foolish to ignore them | Gaby Hinsliff
You must be logged in to post a comment Login