Aubameyang scores 2 as Marseille moves on from players’ locker room fight with big win over Paris FC

Aubameyang scores 2 as Marseille moves on from players’ locker room fight with big win over Paris FC
Marseille's Gabonese forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (C) controls the ball ahead Paris FC's Brazilian defender Otavio (L) during the French L1 football match between Olympique de Marseille (OM) and Paris FC at Stade Velodrome in Marseille, France on August 23, 2025. (AFP)
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Updated 24 August 2025

Aubameyang scores 2 as Marseille moves on from players’ locker room fight with big win over Paris FC

Aubameyang scores 2 as Marseille moves on from players’ locker room fight with big win over Paris FC
  • Victory followed Marseille'sseason-opening loss at Rennes, which caused teammates Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Roweto fight
  • Coach Roberto De Zerbi said the two players, who brawledas if in a pub fight,have been put on the club’s transfer list

MARSEILLE, France: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice as Marseille ended a week of turmoil with a 5-2 win over promoted Paris FC in the French league on Saturday.
Marseille could even afford a missed penalty from Mason Greenwood late on.
But the victory wasn’t a given amid the unusual buildup to the game. Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi said Friday that teammates Adrien Rabiot and Jonathan Rowe had brawled as if in a pub fight after the team’s season-opening loss at Rennes last weekend.
Both players have been put on the club’s transfer list.
Greenwood opened the scoring Saturday with a penalty before the Aubameyang show started with a spectacular finish in the 24th minute.
Ilan Kebbal pulled one back four minutes later with a brilliant strike inside the far post and he played in Moses Simon to equalize early in the second half with a perfectly placed through ball.
Aubameyang restored Marseille’s lead after a gift from the Paris defense, Pierre-Emile Höjbjerg made it 4-2 in the 81st, and impressive substitute Robinio Vaz completed the scoring in stoppage time after Greenwood missed his second opportunity from the spot. The penalty was awarded for a foul on Vaz.
Lyon wins again
Lyon eased to a 3-0 victory over Metz for its first home win of the season following its successful appeal against relegation last month.
The seven-time French champion was demoted to the second tier because of ongoing financial irregularities and debts estimated at 175 million euros ($203 million), but it appealed.
The club’s new president, Michele Kang, watched as first-half goals from Malick Fofana and Corentin Tolisso were followed in the 83rd minute by Adam Karabec’s first goal since his arrival from Sparta Prague.
There was a brief holdup in the second half as an announcement and a message on the large screen warned against offensive chants.
It’s the second win from two games for Lyon, which opened with a 1-0 win over Lens last week.
Also Saturday, Nice enjoyed a 3-1 win over Auxerre, which had goalkeeper Donovan Léon sent off before the break for bringing down Isak Jansson.
Defending champion Paris Saint-Germain defeated Angers 1-0 on Friday.


Viktor Gyokeres scores twice as Arsenal rout Leeds

Viktor Gyokeres scores twice as Arsenal rout Leeds
Updated 23 August 2025

Viktor Gyokeres scores twice as Arsenal rout Leeds

Viktor Gyokeres scores twice as Arsenal rout Leeds
  • Victory came at a cost for Mikel Arteta as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard hobbled off injured

LONDON: Viktor Gyokeres scored his first two Arsenal goals as the Gunners gave Leeds a harsh lesson in the step up to the Premier League with a 5-0 win at the Emirates.

Victory came at a cost for Mikel Arteta as Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard hobbled off injured just eight days before Arsenal’s trip to Liverpool.

Arsenal edged ahead of north London rivals Tottenham at the top of the table on goal difference, as the only two sides so far with a 100 percent record from their opening two games.

Saka fired in a blistering strike from a narrow angle to double the home side’s lead after Jurrien Timber opened the scoring.

Gyokeres was signed from Sporting Lisbon as the solution to Arsenal’s need for a killer number nine.

The Swede’s ability to succeed in the Premier League has been questioned despite his prolific record of 97 goals in 102 games for Sporting.

Gyokeres made his mark with a fine individual run and finish before Timber bundled in his second from another Declan Rice corner.

Gyokeres rounded off the scoring from the penalty spot with virtually the last kick of the game.

A day of celebration for the home fans began before kick-off when new £60 million ($81 million) signing Eberechi Ezi was paraded after he turned down a move to Tottenham.

But the sight of captain Odegaard and talisman Saka leaving the field soured a routine win.

Arsenal had to rely on their threat from set-pieces to grind out a 1-0 win at Manchester United on the opening weekend of the season.

Despite a dominant start to the game, that was how the the Leeds defense was prized open.

Timber had scored just twice in 52 Arsenal appearances before Saturday.

The Dutch international doubled that tally as he firstly got his head to Rice’s inviting delivery on 34 minutes.

Odegaard then made his departure after appearing to injure his shoulder falling heavily to the turf.

Saka soon had the Emirates crowd back on their feet when he drilled Timber’s pass high past Lucas Perri with his supposedly weaker right foot.

Gyokeres had at one point been a target for Leeds during his days with Coventry in the Championship before making the move to Portugal.

Arsenal’s new £66 million signing showed the Yorkshire side what they missed as he scampered onto Riccardo Calafiori’s ball over the top and cut inside before firing in at the near post.

Saka missed nearly four months of last season with a hamstring injury.

Worryingly for Arteta, the England international was holding the back of his left leg when he was replaced on 53 minutes.

Arsenal added a fouth when Leeds failed to clear another Rice corner and Timber forced the ball over the line from close range.

Arteta could then afford the luxury of handing a Premier League debut to 15-year-old Max Dowman.

He became the second youngest ever player to play in the English top-flight after team-mate Ethan Nwaneri.

Dowman’s trickery won a penalty deep into stoppage time that Gyokeres gratefully dispatched.


Manchester City troubles reappear as solid Spurs go top after 2-0 win

Manchester City troubles reappear as solid Spurs go top after 2-0 win
Updated 23 August 2025

Manchester City troubles reappear as solid Spurs go top after 2-0 win

Manchester City troubles reappear as solid Spurs go top after 2-0 win
  • Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha struck for the Europa League winners just before half-time

MANCHESTER: Manchester City’s troubles from last season were exposed once more in a humbling 2-0 home defeat to Tottenham on Saturday that raised questions over their quest to regain the Premier League title.

Brennan Johnson and Joao Palhinha struck for the Europa League winners just before half-time as Spurs went top of the table, making it a perfect start for Thomas Frank after two league games in charge.

“Extremely proud of the players, exceptionally good performance,” said Frank.

“The mentality is the key thing. We need this mentality to win games like this.”

City’s run of four consecutive titles came to a spectacular end last season as they finished a distant third behind Liverpool and Arsenal.

A 4-0 thrashing of Wolves on the opening weekend of the campaign showed glimpses of a new-look City back to their best.

However, a series of defensive issues remain unresolved, while manager Pep Guardiola must decide on who will be his number one goalkeeper going forward after a day to forget for James Trafford.

“We missed the simple things,” lamented Guardiola.

“Of course we have to improve, but I said the same after Wolves.”

Trafford retained his place in goal despite the return to fitness of Ederson.

The Brazilian is reportedly on the verge of joining Turkish giants Galatasaray, which would free up City to make a move for out-of-favor Paris Saint-Germain ‘keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

City’s failure to get those deals done before the final week of the transfer window came back to haunt them in a familiar tale for Guardiola’s men against Tottenham.

In the last 13 Premier League meetings between the sides, City have won just four despite several changes of management at Spurs in that time.

Frank is the latest man in the Tottenham dug out and has made a highly impressive start.

Spurs were minutes away from beating PSG in the UEFA Super Cup, before losing on penalties, and have taken maximum points from their opening two Premier League games without conceding.

City’s high line was easily exposed in an embarrassing early exit from the Club World Cup to Saudi side Al-Hilal last month and is an issue Guardiola still has to resolve.

Tottenham took the lead on 35 minutes when Mohammed Kudus fed Richarlison and he squared for Johnson to power past Trafford.

An offside flag briefly halted Spurs’ joy until a VAR review showed the slipping Ruben Dias had played Richarlison onside.

City then completely lost their composure for the period before half-time.

Trafford was fortunate to avoid being punished after rushing outside his box to block from Kudus with his arm.

But the 22-year-old then endured a moment which might cost him the chance to be Guardiola’s number one this season.

Trafford’s attempted pass to Nico Gonzalez inside his own box was intercepted by Pape Mate Sarr and even though the goalkeeper recovered to deny Richarlison, Palhinha smashed home the rebound.

Erling Haaland had the chance to reduce City’s arrears in first-half stoppage time, but headed over to sum up a tough afternoon for the Norwegian.

Spurs let a two-goal lead slip late on against PSG in Frank’s first game in charge, but rarely looked in danger of suffering a similar fate.

Haaland wasted City’s other big opportunity to gain a foothold when he overhit a pass to Rayan Cherki with just Guglielmo Vicario to beat.

But City fell to defeat with a whimper and could have been further punished on the counter-attack when Trafford made good saves to deny Dominic Solanke and Wilson Odobert in stoppage time.


Barca’s Flick unfazed by criticism of Yamal’s goal celebrations

Barca’s Flick unfazed by criticism of Yamal’s goal celebrations
Updated 22 August 2025

Barca’s Flick unfazed by criticism of Yamal’s goal celebrations

Barca’s Flick unfazed by criticism of Yamal’s goal celebrations
  • Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal sparked controversy with his regal goal celebration last week when he pretended to crown himself after scoring against Mallorca

BARCELONA: Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal sparked controversy with his regal goal celebration last week when he pretended to crown himself after scoring against Mallorca, but manager Hansi Flick on Friday brushed off criticism of his 18-year-old winger.
The gesture appeared to anoint Yamal as the new king after netting his first goal of the season in Barcelona’s 3-0 victory over Mallorca, with the teenager having inherited the iconic number 10 shirt worn by many club greats in the past.
Yamal has found himself under scrutiny recently, with a Spanish disability rights group threatening legal action over reports of people with dwarfism being hired as entertainment at his 18th birthday party last month.
But Flick remains unfazed by the external noise surrounding his player.
“I don’t care what other people say about my team. Lamine is only 18 years old but he’s a fantastic footballer,” Flick told reporters ahead of Saturday’s game away at Levante.
“I will help him to grow in the right way. But what I can see here, his behavior is very good.”
Robert Lewandowski is expected to return to the squad after the veteran striker, who turned 37 on Thursday, missed the LaLiga opener with an injury.
However, he will be competing with Ferran Torres to lead the line.
“We will see, we have some thoughts about how the match is going and what we can change, but at the end we have different options at number nine,” Flick said.
“Ferran scored a goal (against Mallorca) and it’s the best argument to play again. We will try and include Robert if it’s possible.”
Flick also suggested England forward Marcus Rashford could be deployed as a striker after he made his Barca debut as a second-half substitute.
“Rashford gives us some more options. He’s more familiar with the number 11 (position on the wing) but his strengths, his first touch, his speed — he is really helpful for our game,” Flick said.
“We can enjoy a fantastic Marcus Rashford this season, 100 percent.”
Flick said he hopes to have all players registered next week as Barcelona navigate LaLiga’s financial constraints.
The German also insisted on retaining midfielder Fermin Lopez, who had eight goals and 10 assists last season, amid transfer speculation.
“I don’t want to lose any players now because I think it will be a tough season and we need this quality from Fermin. He was doing really good last season and also when we started the new season,” Flick said.
“I’m happy with him, the players — I want to keep everyone here because the options we have now are very good.”


Ten hurt, 90 arrested as match abandoned following fan violence in Argentina

Ten hurt, 90 arrested as match abandoned following fan violence in Argentina
Updated 21 August 2025

Ten hurt, 90 arrested as match abandoned following fan violence in Argentina

Ten hurt, 90 arrested as match abandoned following fan violence in Argentina
  • A stun grenade was among the objects hurled by fans as the last-16 second-leg encounter in the regional competition at the Libertadores de America stadium was initially suspended and then abandoned

BUENOS AIRES: Ten people were hurt and 90 arrested Wednesday after violent clashes erupted between rival fans during a Copa Sudamericana match involving Argentina’s Independiente and visiting Universidad de Chile in Buenos Aires, club officials and police said.
A stun grenade was among the objects hurled by fans as the last-16 second-leg encounter in the regional competition at the Libertadores de America stadium was initially suspended and then abandoned.
In shocking and chaotic scenes, one fan of the Chilean visitors jumped from the stands to escape attacking opposing supporters after being cornered.
Home supporters beat and stripped some visiting fans of their clothes, an AFP reporter at the scene said.
The violence had flared at half time when fans of the Chilean side began throwing stones, sticks, bottles and seats at a section housing home supporters.
“We have 90 people detained outside the stadium because they tried to cause trouble and they have already been taken to the police station,” a source from the security ministry told AFP.
An Independiente spokesperson said that 10 people were injured.
The match was 1-1 when it was suspended in the 48th minute, before being abandoned.
The Chilean side won the first leg 1-0.


Suarez fills Messi void as Inter Miami beat Tigres 2-1

Suarez fills Messi void as Inter Miami beat Tigres 2-1
Updated 21 August 2025

Suarez fills Messi void as Inter Miami beat Tigres 2-1

Suarez fills Messi void as Inter Miami beat Tigres 2-1
  • Luis Suarez scored a penalty in each half to give Inter Miami a 2-1 victory over Tigres UANL on Wednesday, stepping up to fill the void after Lionel Messi was ruled out of the Leagues Cup final

MIAMI: Luis Suarez scored a penalty in each half to give Inter Miami a 2-1 victory over Tigres UANL on Wednesday, stepping up to fill the void after Lionel Messi was ruled out of the Leagues Cup quarter-final clash.
Messi, who has battled a “minor” muscle injury since a Leagues Cup group match on August 2, returned Saturday after a two-week absence, scoring a goal after coming on as a substitute in a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy.
However, the 38-year-old World Cup winner was ruled out against Tigres as Inter advanced in the cross-border club competition for teams from Major League Soccer and Mexico’s Liga-MX.
“We rely on how Leo feels and it wasn’t the best,” Inter assistant coach Javier Morales said. “We preferred not to take risks, not to go backward in his recovery.”
In a duel that produced few scoring chances, veteran Uruguay striker Suarez was the difference as Inter kept alive their hopes of regaining the title they won in 2023, during Messi’s first season in MLS.
Things swung Miami’s way in the 20th minute when Javier Aquino slid to intercept a cross and the ball hit his left arm in the area.
The referee awarded the penalty and the 38-year-old Suarez converted.
Tempers flared, with Suarez moving to calm things down after Miami teammate Rodrigo De Paul and Uruguayan compatriot Fernando Gorriaran exchanged words.
Inter coach Javier Mascherano was sent off at half time, receiving a red card for heated protestations to officials after injury time dragged on past what had been indicated.
Mascherano watched from a front row of the stands when Tigres grabbed their equalizer in the 67th minute, Angel Correa slipping between two defenders and beating Miami keeper Oscar Ustari.
Another handball by Aquino in the 87th minute, confirmed by VAR, gave Miami another penalty and Suarez converted again, this time going left as goalkeeper Nahuel Guzman dived in the opposite direction.
“The game was really difficult because they played very well,” Suarez said. “Every day I just try my best to help the team win.”
Miami booked a semifinal clash with Florida rivals Orlando City, who beat Liga MX champions Toluca FC 6-5 on penalties after the teams played to a scoreless draw in Carson, California.
Orlando goalkeeper Pedro Gallese was the hero, saving two penalties in the shootout and scoring the decisive penalty himself.
Orlando beat Miami 4-1 in an MLS clash this month in which Messi was missing.
In the remaining two quarter-finals on Wednesday, Los Angeles Galaxy hosted Pachuca, while the Seattle Sounders take on Puebla at home.
There’s more at stake than the Leagues Cup trophy.
Both finalists and the third-place match winner will qualify for the CONCACAF Champions Cup, with the Leagues Cup champion securing direct entry to the Champions Cup round of 16.