MAX SPORTS: Alexandre Lacazette

Showing posts with label Alexandre Lacazette. Show all posts

Thursday, 31 July 2025

MOST EXPENSIVE SIGNINGS IN ARSENAL HISTORY

Saturday, 3 August 2024

OLYMPICS: FRANCE BEAT ARGENTINA IN HEATED MEN'S SOCCER QUARTERFINAL

Jean-Philippe Mateta's goal was enough for France to defeat Argentina in the Olympic men's soccer quarterfinals. ROMAIN PERROCHEAU/AFP via Getty Images

An early goal was enough for France to beat Argentina 1-0 in Bordeaux and reach the men's soccer semifinals at the Olympics on Friday, in a match where the Argentines were booed throughout by a hostile home crowd and fighting broke out between the players immediately after the final whistle.

There was shoving for a couple of minutes before the players were broken up. Some France players appeared to sprint down the tunnel moments later before coming back out a short time later to perform a lap of honor.

Jean-Philippe Mateta headed home in the fifth minute for coach Thierry Henry's team, which will face Egypt in the last four.

Mateta was celebrating with captain Alexandre Lacazette when they noticed the postmatch skirmish. Lacazette rushed back to help break it up, as did Henry and counterpart Javier Mascherano, who appeared to block one of his own staff members from joining in.

"I went to shake the opposing coach's hand and all of a sudden I saw a lot of things happening," Henry told reporters. "I don't like seeing this kind of thing. It wasn't necessary."

As France fans continued celebrating, stewards and a handful of riot police formed a ring around the pocket of Argentina fans inside the stadium.

Amid the skirmishes France midfielder Enzo Millot, who had earlier been substituted in stoppage time, was shown a red card that means he will miss the semifinal.

"We didn't want to lose a player [to suspension] but it was pointless, he wasn't even playing [at the final whistle]," Henry said. "I'm really not happy about that. We were all united, the only drawback is getting a red on the bench."

Although primarily an under-23 competition, the game was a rematch French fans have been waiting for since Argentina's dramatic penalty shootout win in the 2022 World Cup final. A racism scandal had heightened tensions ahead of the game after a video of Argentina players singing an offensive song about French players of African heritage as they celebrated their Copa América victory last month made the rounds.

Argentina's national anthem was met with a chorus of jeers and whistles, and home fans booed Argentina's players after the kickoff whenever they touched the ball.

It took France less than five minutes to ratchet up the atmosphere even further.

Mateta met Michael Olise's corner at the near post and sent his header past Argentina goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli to put the hosts in front.

Argentina recovered well from the early setback and should have gone into the half-time interval level. With the goal gaping, Giuliano Simeone somehow headed high over the bar after the ball dropped to him invitingly inside the 6-yard box.

Tensions briefly flared during first-half stoppage time when Mateta went to check on a teammate getting treatment inside Argentina's penalty area and was pushed away. Lacazette smoothed things over quickly and Rulli put an arm around him.

There was a loud cheer when Mascherano was shown a yellow card and, as the second half ticked on, the jubilant home goaded their opponents by singing "Ils sont où les Argentins?" (Where are the Argentines?)

They weren't on the scoresheet.

France held firm in the second half and thought they had a second goal when Olise found the net with a deflected strike in the 84th minute. Although that goal was ruled out after a VAR check for an earlier foul, France had enough to clinch the win.

France won their only Olympic title in 1984, the year they also won the European Championship.

Earlier in the day, Egypt defeated Paraguay 5-4 in a shootout to reach the last four. Ibrahim Adel converted the final penalty kick for Egypt after their goalkeeper, Hamza Alaa, saved from Marcelo Perez to seal the win after the teams had drawn 1-1 in regulation and failed to score in extra time.

Also on Friday, Spain eased past Japan 3-0 to set up a semifinal clash with Morocco, who thrashed the United States 4-0.

A Fermín López double and an Abel Ruiz effort in the 86th minute sealed the win for La Roja, who three years ago beat Japan in the semifinals at the delayed Tokyo Olympics.

Information from The Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.

Thursday, 23 May 2024

DEPARTING MBAPPÉ CHASES A LAST TROPHY WITH PSG IN FRENCH CUP FINAL AGAINST RESURGENT LYON

AP Photo

PARIS (AP) — This time, it's really the end.

After missing Paris Saint-Germain’s last two league games, Kylian Mbappé should start in the French Cup final against Lyon on Saturday for his final match in a PSG shirt.

The forward, who is widely expected to join Real Madrid, was given some free time by coach Luis Enrique last weekend and was spotted enjoying himself at the Cannes film festival while PSG wrapped up a 12th victorious league campaign in less glamorous settings.

Mbappé told PSG in February he will leave at the end of the season — Saturday night — and confirmed it this month. Over the last three months, Enrique has tried to make PSG less reliant on his star striker, arguing that he needed to start thinking about the future knowing that Mbappé would not be around next season.

Although Enrique has yet to decide on his starting XI for Saturday's final at Lille's Stade Pierre-Mauroy, snubbing Mbappé, or even leaving him on the bench, would equate to a slap in his face.

Mbappé is the club’s all-time top scorer with 256 and has won six Ligue 1 titles and three French Cups with PSG. Although he didn't lead the club to a Champions League trophy in his seven seasons in Paris, he largely contributed to helping PSG reach a respected status on the continent.

Leaving him on the sidelines on the night he could cap his PSG journey with yet another title seems highly unlikely, although Enrique has warned his players he will select only those who deserve it.

“We’ll see who’s ready, who’s not ready (to play), who wants to, who doesn’t want to,” Enrique said.

Like Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé did not play against Nice and Metz in the closing league rounds but should be back to face a resurgent Lyon side led by former Arsenal striker Alexandre Lacazette.

LYON MASTER OF COMEBACKS

Lyon has been in impressive form in recent months and Enrique can't afford to take the five-time Cup champion lightly.

Since Pierre Sage was appointed coach last November when Lyon was at the bottom of the league, the team has been transformed into a winning machine. After sealing European soccer next season, Lyon can cap a remarkable second half of the season with its first silverware since 2012.

One of Lyon's main assets has been its capacity to come from behind under Sage's guidance. According to French league statistics, Lyon has secured 27 points from a losing position, with only Liverpool and Girona doing better in the top five leagues. Lyon substitutes have contributed 18 goals since Sage's appointment.

Tuesday, 30 April 2024

FOOTBALL: PSG WIN 12TH LIGUE TITLE AFTER MONACO DEFEAT

Paris Saint-Germain's French forward Kylian Mbappé (L) fights for the ball with Le Havre's Ivorian French defender Christopher Opéri during the French L1 football match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Le Havre AC at the Parc des Princes Stadium, in Paris on April 27, 2024. FRANCK FIFE / AFP

Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) has won the French league in Kylian Mbappé's last season at the club after Monaco lost 3-2 at Lyon on Sunday, April 28. PSG has an unassailable 12-point lead over second-place Monaco, which has three games left. The Ligue 1 triumph is PSG's third in a row and a record-extending 12th overall. Mbappé has been involved in six of them, but comes off contract at the end of the season. He's expected to be signed by Real Madrid.

PSG is on course for a potential historic treble as it will play at Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of the Champions League semifinals on Wednesday and face Lyon in the French Cup final on May 25. In coach Luis Enrique's first season at the club, PSG produced one of the most dominant seasons in league history with just one loss in 31 games so far.

PSG could have clinched the title on Saturday with a win at home to struggling Le Havre, but in the end they needed a 95th-minute equalizer to snatch a 3-3 draw. However, after that game, coach Luis Enrique insisted his side had won the league "without any doubt," as they were 12 points clear with only 12 points left to play for and also boasted a far superior goal difference to that of Monaco.

The principality club's loss in Lyon nevertheless makes PSG's coronation official and sets them up for Wednesday's Champions League semi-final first leg away to Borussia Dortmund in Germany.

Monaco had taken the lead inside the opening minute in Lyon thanks to a Wissam Ben Yedder goal, but Alexandre Lacazette equalized for the hosts and Said Benrahma put them ahead before the half-hour mark. Ben Yedder struck again to bring it back to 2-2, only for substitute Malick Fofana to net a late winner for Lyon, who are still hoping to qualify for Europe.

PSG have won 10 of their 12 titles in the last 12 seasons, a record that goes to show how the Qatari takeover of the club in 2011 has utterly transformed them and the face of French football as a whole. They are on course for a clean sweep of trophies this season, with the French Cup final against Lyon to come on May 25 and the French Champions Trophy already in the bag. Luis Enrique's side are also hoping to see off Dortmund and win through to the final of the Champions League on June 1.

Brest wins nine-goal thriller

Elsewhere, Brest took another big step toward qualifying for the Champions League for the first time by scoring deep in injury time to beat Rennes 5-4 in an incredible game. Former Rennes defender Lilian Brassier popped up with the decisive goal six minutes into stoppage time to decide the Brittany derby in Brest's favor. They had been 2-0 down inside nine minutes after Arnaud Kalimuendo netted twice for the home side at Roazhon Park, but quickly pulled one back through Steve Mounie and then equalized just after the break via a goal by Warmed Omari.

Uruguayan striker Martin Satriano put Brest in front, and Mahdi Camara made it 4-2, seemingly wrapping up the points. However, Arthur Theate and Martin Terrier both scored to bring Rennes back level again, apparently securing them a precious point in the fight for European qualification before Brassier struck. It is a huge three points for Brest after they lost their previous two matches, and the win ensures they end the weekend in third place, two points behind Monaco and a point clear of Lille, which won 2-1 at Metz.

The top three teams in Ligue 1 qualify automatically for next season's expanded Champions League, with the team in fourth entering the competition in the preliminary rounds. Ismaily and Yusuf Yazici scored Lille's goals as they came from behind to take all three points after Georgian international Georges Mikautadze put Metz ahead from the penalty spot.

Nice strengthened their grip on fifth spot by winning 3-1 at Patrick Vieira's Strasbourg. The Côte d'Azur club remains four points behind Lille, meaning Champions League qualification looks to be beyond them. Lorient remains in the automatic relegation spots and three points from safety after a 2-1 home loss to Toulouse. Clermont is still bottom but is now only four points from safety with three games left after beating Reims 4-1 with Austrian international Muhammed Cham netting two penalties and Elbasan Rashani also scoring twice.