MIKEL MERINO'S GOAL LIFTS SPAIN PAST BELGIUM IN WORLD CUP QUARTERS

Super-sub Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute on a rebound yielded by backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens and Spain won 2-1 over Belgium to advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals on July 11.

"Mikel Merino #6 of Spain celebrates scoring his team's second goal during the FIFA World Cup 2026 quarter-final against Belgium at Los Angeles Stadium. — AFP/VNA Photos"

LOS ANGELES — Super-sub Mikel Merino scored in the 88th minute on a rebound yielded by backup goalkeeper Senne Lammens and Spain won 2-1 over Belgium to advance to the FIFA World Cup 2026 semi-finals on July 11.

It was a Fabian Ruiz goal that gave the European champions the lead on the half-hour mark at SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles.

Ruiz benefits from some poor Thibaut Courtois handling and slammed home on the rebound from close range.  

However, shortly Charles De Ketelaere nodded home a cross to bring Belgium level in timely fashion. 

He was the first scorer of the tournament who could find the back of the net of Luis de la Fuente's side. Spain's six-game clean sheet streak was ended in the 41st minute.

Both two sides had opportunities to raise the score in the second half. 

"Lamine Yamal finds himself one-on-one with Courtois in the 48th mark. The keeper came out on top, but the flag was up on the teenager regardless.

Jérémy Doku and De Bruyne made up a lovely one-two with each other before setting Maxim De Cupyer in a perfect place to score. However, the winger lashed into the side netting in the 55th minute.

Six minutes later Yamal's another effort was beaten away by the busy Courtois who previously saved his net from Oyarzabal's attempt."

"Belgium's goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois receives medical treatment."

"A turning point came in the 72nd minute when Courtois went off in tears because of injury. He was replaced by  Lammens who spilled the ball to Merino in the final minutes, allowing the Spaniard to smash home a rebound for a 2-1 win.

It was the second game in a row that Merino came from the bench and scored a late goal. Earlier, the Arsenal midfielder also netted a late winner as a substitute against Portugal four days ago."

"Jeremy Doku of Belgium (centre) competes for the ball against Spanish players during  their quarter-final match."

"He was the first player in the history of the World Cup to score winning goals in separate knockout ties as a substitute but that didn't really cover it. Merino was only given nine minutes plus stoppage time across the two games. It was all he needed.

Spain will next play tournament favourite France in the semi-finals on Tuesday in Dallas.

Other quarter-finals will be held tonight between Norway and England at the Miami Stadium and Argentina and Switzerland at the Kansas City Stadium. — VNS"

DAVID RAYA IS NAMED AS THE BEST GOALKEEPER IN THE WORLD

 

FC BARCELONA RAGES OVER REAL REAL MADRID VAR ROOM 'THANK GOODNESS' REMARK

FC Barcelona fans and pundits that cover the club
have been left furious by an audio recording from the VAR room made during Sunday's 4-3 win over bitter rival Real Madrid in El Clasico

FC Barcelona, its fans, and pundits that cover the club have been left furious by an audio recording from the VAR room made during Sunday's 4-3 win over bitter rival Real Madrid in El Clasico.

The Catalans went into the latest addition of the world’s biggest derby crestfallen after Tuesday’s painful Champions League semifinal second leg exit to Inter Milan.

Once more, Hansi Flick’s young side went 2-0 down early, but managed to come back to lead the tie for the first time 3-2 ahead of Inter goals in the 93rd and 99th minute which sunk hopes of an impressive quadruple trophy haul.

Barca had little time to dust itself off, and prepare for a fourth 2024/2025 showdown with its arch nemesis in Montjuic at the weekend.

There were doubts leading up to kick off as to whether Barca would be emotionally drained and also lacking physically thanks to a gruelling 120 minutes of play at the San Siro.

True to form, they once again allowed a powerful opposition to go 2-0 goals clear through a brace from Kylian Mbappe on this occasion.

Thankfully for Culers, Barca roared back to overturn that deficit and lead 4-2 come half time. Because Madrid only managed to pull another goal back, the home team ran out victors and now harbor a seven-point advantage at the La Liga summit with three games left to run..

As is often the case, however, the latest of four clashes between the Spanish football behemoths wasn’t allowed to pass without incident.

Lamine Yamal appeared to have been fouled by Dani Ceballos on the move that resulted in the second of Mbappe’s three goals but nothing was called, and Barca also didn’t get awarded a penalty when it appeared Aurelien Tchouameni had handled the ball in his own penalty box.

"There you have the images, it’s a shot on goal. We don’t have many more powerful cameras," said VAR referee Juan Martinez Munuera, as explained by SPORT .

As shown by audio recordings, referee Hernandez Hernandez made a decision and then commented: "For me [Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut] Courtois is behind. Give it one more frame, that’s where the impact occurs, [with] the arm down. For me it's not a penalty, Juan."

Yet it is a remark in relation to a third incident that has Barca, Culers, and pundits that cover the club in a huff.

Fermin Lopez handled the ball on his way to smash home what could have been a fifth goal for the Blaugrana across the afternoon, and the player himself later admitted that he had done so.

Yet it is the fact that Munuera used the Spanish expression “menos mal”, translated as something close to “thank goodness” in English, to describe the development that has upset many.

“Listen to me Alex, we just detected a hand, okay? Come and see it, please”, you can hear in an audio recording from the VAR room, before the addition of “thank goodness” when it seems it’s been realized that Fermin had handled the ball on his way to beat Courtois.

FC Barcelona “should demand an explanation”

In a week that Barca and figures including President Joan Laporta returned from Milan complaining that bad refereeing had cost them the chance to reach the UCL final for the first time since 2015, at least their rage will not be as seething given they came out on the winning side this time round.

According to SPORT journalist Toni Juanmarti, however, FC Barcelona should still “demand an explanation” from Spanish soccer officials as to why the remark was made.

- Tom Sanderson

BUKAYO SAKA REVEALS CHAT WITH ARSENAL LEGEND ON DAY OF FAMOUS REAL MADRID WIN

Gunners winger has also explained his goal celebration that evoked memories of Thierry Henry’s heroics at the Bernabeu

ARSENAL HERO: BUKAYO SAKA WAS ONE OF THE STARS OF THE SHOW AS THE GUNNERS BEAT REAL MADRID AGAIN AT THE BERNABEU

Bukayo Saka has revealed that he spoke to Thierry Henry on the morning of Arsenal’s latest famous victory over Real Madrid, but insists he did not deliberately evoke his famous Bernabeu goal celebration.

Saka set the Gunners on their way to a second successive victory over the current Champions League holders on Wednesday evening, atoning for his early Panenka penalty attempt that was easily saved by Thibaut Courtois as he executed a brilliant lofted finish to put Mikel Arteta’s side ahead on the night and stretch their commanding aggregate lead in the quarter-final tie.

Arsenal eventually won 2-1 in Spain after Gabriel Martinelli’s stoppage-time effort that followed Vinicius Jr quickly responding to Saka’s opener after a blunder from William Saliba, completing an emphatic 5-1 victory overall after Declan Rice had produced two stunning free-kicks to inspire an initial 3-0 first-leg success at the Emirates Stadium last week.

Paris Saint-Germain now stand between them and a place in the Champions League final at Bayern Munich’s Allianz Arena on May 31, after the reigning French champions just snuck past Aston Villa on Tuesday night despite a rousing second-half fightback that saw Unai Emery’s men win 3-2 on the night but go down 5-4 on aggregate.

Barcelona meet Inter Milan in the other semi-final tie after their respective wins over German giants Borussia Dortmund and Bayern.

Saka was once again one of Arsenal’s star performers against Madrid as he made up for his missed penalty with a superb goal and afterwards revealed that he had spoken to club icon Henry ahead of the game.

Asked on CBS Sports if he planned a post-match FaceTime with the French legend - part of the interview as a pundit - Saka said: "100 per cent. I spoke to him this morning already but if he wants to speak again later, I'm going to be up. I'm not going to sleep tonight, let's be real."

Arsenal are the first English team ever to win twice at the Bernabeu, having become the first ever to do it in the Champions League back in the last 16 of the 2005/06 season, when Henry’s second-half goal sealed a 1-0 first-leg victory in Madrid.

A goalless second-leg draw at Highbury then sent the Gunners through and they later beat Juventus and Villarreal before losing in agonising fashion to Barcelona in their first and only Champions League final appearance to date in Paris.

Saka’s “shushing” reaction after scoring on Wednesday was the same as Henry produced at the Bernabeu 19 years ago, with the England winger posting pictures of the two celebrations side-by-side on Instagram after the game.

And while he certainly appreciated the symmetry, Saka insisted he did not deliberately replicate Henry after his own memorable moment at one of European football’s most iconic venues.

"To be fair, not really,” he said. “I just wanted to have my own moment, but of course Thierry has done the same here and it's nice that we can share this picture. It's nice."

- ADAM DAVY/PA WIRE

DECLAN RICE EXPLAINS THE SUBTLE CHANGE MADE TO HIS FREE-KICK TECHNIQUE DURING ARSENAL V REAL MADRID THAT PAID OFF

Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Declan Rice’s two outstanding free-kicks stole the show as Arsenal taught Real Madrid a footballing lesson in their 3-0 victory in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final in what was arguably the greatest night the Emirates Stadium has ever witnessed.

The Arsenal midfielder, who had never scored even a single free-kick before Tuesday night managed to dispatch a brace and make even the tremendous Thibaut Courtois look powerless when the ball left his right foot twice.

In doing so, Declan Rice might have well taken a sizable step towards being deemed a Gunners legend as he produced one of the most impactful performances an Arsenal player has in the club’s rich history.

But after Arsenal thrashed Real Madrid, Rice explained the thinking behind both his free-kicks.

Photo by Stuart MacFarlane/Arsenal FC via Getty Images

Declan Rice revealed looking down during free-kicks helped him during Arsenal vs Real Madrid

Alan Shearer raved about Rice’s two free-kicks against Real Madrid and Arsenal’s man of the moment explained that he has noticed that every time he looks at the ball before striking it in training, the result tends not to be satisfatory.

As even Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham was taken aback by Rice’s free-kicks as Arsenal took the visitors apart, the man himself also explained that when he does not look at the ball — his attempts are often far more accurate and the subtle change he made worked to a tee.

Thierry Henry asked Rice on CBS Sports “But you know what I like with the technique is you whipped it so hard early and you didn’t let your foot go, if you know what I mean, you held it.”

Rice replied: “I feel like when I practice these free-kicks, what I tend to notice is when I make the contact and I look up quick, it’s not the strike I want. When I look down on the ball and just focus on the ball and know in the spot I want to put it in, I tend to have more consistency with it and obviously, that’s a one in a, I don’t know what moment. I’ve been practicing it and it’s come off and to score two, it won’t hit me what I’ve done.”

How Kylian Mbappe reacted to Declan Rice’s second free-kick in Champions League quarter-final

Rice is well and truly a man who is dedicated to his craft — as was exemplified by his post-match assessment after Arsenal’s win against Real Madrid.

If the former West Ham United captain had not put in the hours of practice in training, his free-kicks might not have hurt Los Blancos on Tuesday.

But he did and Kylian Mbappe was caught by cameras being visibly blown away by the second free-kick in particular.

Alan Shearer lauded Rice’s all-round masterclass against Real Madrid and in every sense of the word, he put in a complete display.

Even Thierry Henry called Rice a man “possessed” and noted that he looked like a man with a point to prove.

For years, Arsenal’s mentality when the pressure is at its maximum has been questioned.

But Rice seems to be built of sterner stuff and his fearlessness in attempting both free-kicks from distance shows that this current crop of players are keen to show that they can mix it with the best of the best.

- Srinivas Sadhanand

FURIOUS DIEGO SIMEONE SLAMS VAR PENALTY DECISION AFTER CONTROVERSIAL REAL MADRID DEFEAT

Atletico Madrid star Julian Alvarez saw his penalty cancelled by VAR midway through the shootout against rivals Real Madrid, having been adjudged to have touched the ball twice

Julian Alvarez double-kicked his penalty according to VAR (Image: Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

Atletico Madrid boss Diego Simeone insists that Julian Alvarez's penalty against Real Madrid shouldn't have been disallowed.

Alvarez took Atletico's second penalty in a dramatic shootout after his team beat their local rivals 1-0 in the second leg of their Champions League round-of-16 clash, making the scores 2-2 on aggregate. The ex-Manchester City star slipped while taking his shot but the ball still went high into the back of the net.

Before Real's Federico Valverde could take the next penalty, though, a VAR check took place. Polish video assistant referee Tomasz Kwiatkowski ruled that Alvarez's standing foot had touched the ball before his shot, resulting in the penalty going down as a miss.

That gave Carlo Ancelotti's visiting side the advantage and they made it count to win the shootout 4-2. Simeone was skeptical of the decision, saying during his post-match press conference: "I've just seen the images, the referee says Julian touches the ball with his supporting leg, but the ball doesn't move.

"That's debatable, whether it was a goal or not. But I'm proud of my players, I'm honestly happy, because we competed in an exemplary way."

The Argentine continued: "When Julian kicks [the penalty], the ball doesn't even move a bit. I imagine that they called the VAR and saw that he touched it. I want to believe that they'll have seen that he touched it."

Simeone then told journalists who were in the room: "Raise your hand, anyone who saw Julian touch it twice. Who is going to raise their hand? Nobody has raised their hand."

Real goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who used to play for Atletico under Simeone, accused them of 'victimhood'. I felt that he touched the ball twice and I told the referee. It's not easy to see that. It was a bit of bad luck," Courtois explained. "For UEFA, it's clear. I'm sick of this victimhood, always crying about things like this.

Julian Alvarez's penalty went down as a miss, handing Real Madrid the advantage ( Image: Alberto Gardin/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

"Referees don't want to benefit one team or another in Spain or in Europe, for them it was clear. With the technology, in the VAR room they saw it clearly, they have a lot of cameras and a lot of images."

Ancelotti agreed and concluded: "It looks to me like he touches it with his left foot. [Penalties] are a lottery, heads or tails. It came up heads today. Atletico go out with their heads high."

Real will face Arsenal in the quarter-finals, playing the first leg away on April 8 before the second match at home on April 16.

- Nathan Ridley

DOOR OPEN FOR REAL MADRID SUPERSTAR'S NATIONAL TEAM RETURN AFTER MANAGER FIRED

Photo by Linnea Rheborg/Getty Images

The doors for Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois’ return to the Belgium national team have opened after they sacked manager Domenico Tedesco earlier today.

The axing comes just ten months after the 39-year-old had extended his contract to oversee the team until the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

This could pave the way for Courtois to return to the Belgium setup, after he had decided not to make himself available for national team duty until Tedesco was in charge.

“I have decided not to return to the Belgian national team under this manager. In this matter, I accept my share of responsibility,” he had stated in August last year.

What happened between Courtois and Tedesco?

It all began in June 2023, when Thibaut Courtois opted to leave the Belgium national team camp, with Tedesco declaring in the press that the 32-year-old left as he was snubbed for captaincy, only for the goalkeeper to refute those claims.

The rift between the pair only widened from that point on, with the Belgian FA also standing in support of the manager.

It has been more than 18 months since Courtois last played for the Red Devils, although he did express a desire to return to the setup in the future if circumstances changed.

“Obviously I hope to play another game, to say goodbye properly or to play again. I would love to play in the World Cup, but we’ll see what happens. It’s not that easy,” he had said only a couple of weeks back.

Now with Tedesco no longer at the helm of affairs, it could open the doors for Courtois to make a comeback into the national team, especially given that Belgium could use a player of his quality amidst their ongoing struggles.

- Raghavendra Goudar

THIBAUT COURTOIS: I WON'T PLAY FOR BELGIUM UNDER CURRENT COACH

Courtois, en un entrenamiento con el Real Madrid. (Reuters/Juan Medina)

Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said in a social media post Thursday that he will not be returning to the Belgium national team while current manager Domenico Tedesco remains in charge.

Courtois, who missed much of the last season after suffering two knee injuries, was left off Belgium's Euro 2024 squad despite starting for Real Madrid in the Champions League final.

"Unfortunately, following the events with the coach and after much reflection, I have decided not to return to the Belgian national team under his management," Courtois, who has 102 caps for Belgium, wrote on Instagram.

"In this matter, I accept my share of responsibility. However, looking forward, my lack of confidence in him would not contribute to maintaining the necessary atmosphere of cordiality."

Courtois had a public falling-out with Tedesco in 2023 after leaving the Belgium squad ahead of a Euro 2024 qualifier amid a dispute over not being selected to succeed Eden Hazard as captain.

Tedesco said Courtois abruptly left camp after he did not feel respected within the team, but Courtois denied Tedesco's claims and said he left the camp due to a knee problem.

"The Federation, with whom I have had several discussions, accepts my position and the reasons that led me to this painful but coherent decision," Courtois added. "I regret possibly disappointing some fans, but I am convinced that this is the best course of action for Belgium, as it closes a debate and allows the team to focus on pursuing its goals."

Belgium were eliminated by France in the round of 16 at Euro 2024, with Al Qadsiah goalkeeper Koen Casteels starting all four of their games.

- ESPN 

REAL MADRID GOAL KEEPER COURTOIS TEARS MENISCUS IN KNEE AFTER RECOVERING FROM TORN ACL TEAR

AP Photo 

 MADRID (AP) — Real Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois has sustained another serious knee injury, just as he was close to returning from a torn ACL.

Madrid said Courtois ruptured the meniscus in his right knee during Tuesday's training session. The Belgian has not played since tearing the ACL in his left knee in August, two days before Madrid's first game of the season. He just recently returned to training after recovering from surgery.

Madrid did not give a timeline for how long Courtois will be out this time, saying only that “the injury will be monitored.”

Courtois had said in December that he did not expect to be fit for this summer's European Championship in Germany because of the ACL injury, but that he was hoping to start playing for Madrid again before the end of the season.

NO EXCUSES FROM REAL MADRID, AS INJURY-HIT REAL FACE NAPOLI

Reuters 

Real Madrid go into their Champions League tie against Napoli with plenty of injury problems, but manager Carlo Ancelotti said his side have proved they are strong enough to cope with these challenges.

Real's injury list includes Aurelien Tchouameni, Vinicius Junior, Eduardo Camavinga, while Luka Modric is a doubt after going off injured in their 3-0 win at Cadiz on Sunday.

THIBAUT COURTOIS LASHES OUT AT UEFA FOR NOT CARING ABOUT PLAYERS

Thibaut Courtois has called out UEFA for not caring about players instead they care about money.

EPL: ARSENAL OUTCLASS CHELSEA AS THEY BEAT THE BLUES 3-0 AT THE EMIRATES STADIUM

Perfect Arsenal devastated Chelsea in the 1st half as they beat Chelsea 3-0 at the Emirates Stadium...This win is Arsenal's 4th successive victory and puts them 3rd in the league...Gary Cahill's mistake saw Alexis Sanches take advantage by running clear and putting one over Thibaut Courtois in the 11th minute...Theo Walcott 3 minutes later finned with a brilliant move from a pass from Hector Bellerin...5 minuted before the half N'golo Kante was caught off guard by Mesut Ozil after a counter attack that gave Ozil his first goal at Emirates in 2016...The win was celebrated with Arsene Wenge's 20n years at Arsenal..

CHELSEA: KIPA WA CHELSEA HASEMI KAMA ATABAKI AU LA

Thibaut Courtois amesema hajui kama atasaini mkataba mpya darajani...Kipa huyo mwenye umri wa miaka 23 yuko kwenye mechi za kikataifa na timu yake ya Ubelgiji...Ubelgiji watacheza na Portugal Jumanne na mechi itafanyika Leira baada masuala ya kigaidi kutokea Ubelgiji na kuua watu wengi... Baada ya Chelsea kutofanya vizuri msimu huu amekubali kuwa imembadilisha huku Real Madrid wakimnyemelea huyu dogo...Courtois alikuwa mchezaji wa zamani wa Genk timu ya Mbwana Samatta...Bofya hapa upate habari zaidi.