arabnews.com - Messi at the double again to lift Miami to MLS win over Nashville

Messi at the double again to lift Miami to MLS win over Nashville

MIAMI: Lionel Messi continued his historic Major League Soccer scoring run Saturday, netting two goals for the fifth game in a row to lift Inter Miami to a 2-1 victory over Nashville. Just days after he became the first player to score multiple goals in four straight MLS matches, Messi did it again as Miami continued their climb up the Eastern Conference standings after their league hiatus for the Club World Cup. Messi, the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner, opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a trademark left-foot free-kick, which found the only gap in Nashville’s defensive wall to go past goalkeeper Joe Willis. Miami dominated in the first half but, just four minutes after half-time, Hany Mukhtar’s header pulled Nashville level. Messi grabbed the winner in the 62nd minute when he capitalized on a bad mistake from Willis, who misjudged a pass to tee up the Argentine for the strike. The two goals — on the heels of his two in a 2-1 win over New England on Wednesday — took Messi’s total to 16 in 16 appearances this season, tied with Nashville’s Sam Surridge, who was unable to add to his tally of 16 on Saturday. “There are not many words. It’s incredible what he keeps doing, breaking records now every three days, not even every weekend,” Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. “He is the standard-bearer of our team that shows us the way to compete.

Crawley’s last-over ‘theatrics’ against India spark time-wasting row at Lord’s

LONDON: England and India accused each other of sharp practice after Zak Crawley’s conduct at Lord’s on Saturday drew an angry reaction from visiting captain Shubman Gill. India ought to have been able to bowl two overs late in the third day’s play of the third Test after being dismissed for 387 — exactly level with England’s first-innings total. Crawley, however, ensured there were only six deliveries from Jasprit Bumrah before stumps by twice withdrawing from his stance and then calling for the physio after the fifth ball appeared to make only minimal contact with his glove. Tempers flared as it became evident India would not be able to bowl another over before the close, with host broadcaster Sky Sports issuing an on-air apology after a stump microphone picked up Gill swearing angrily at Crawley. Crawley and Gill jabbed fingers at each other as they exchanged choice words, with Ben Duckett, England’s other opener, also getting involved. Tim Southee, England’s bowling consultant, suggested Gill was guilty of double standards after delaying the end of the hosts’ innings to receive treatment on the second day, while India all-rounder Washington Sundar also held up proceedings for what appeared to be a comfort break while batting. “I’m not sure what they were complaining about when Gill was lying down getting a massage in the middle of the day yesterday,” Southee told reporters after stumps on Saturday. “It’s obviously part of the game. It’s always exciting to see both sides animated toward the end and it was an exciting way to finish the day.

PSG-Chelsea final ‘is not going to be simple formality’

EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique has urged his team to round off the best season in the club’s history by winning the Club World Cup, but warned not to expect Sunday’s final against Chelsea to be a “simple formality.” “This is absolutely not going to be a simple formality,” the Spanish coach insisted, refusing to accept that PSG are necessarily overwhelming favorites to lift the trophy at MetLife Stadium despite their fearsome form. “I have analyzed Chelsea. They have a great squad. Enzo Maresca is doing a great job and I really like what he is doing,” Enrique said. “They are a very complete team.” PSG can complete a remarkable clean sweep of trophies with victory, having won a French league and cup double before claiming the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history at the end of May. “We want to finish this historic season in the best possible way,” said the former Barcelona coach. “Now we must open the next chapter, win more major trophies. We want to make more history by winning on Sunday.” PSG were spellbinding at times in their 4-0 victory against Real Madrid in the semifinals and also put four goals past Atletico Madrid and Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami during the competition. “But we have to win this game to round things off. However, in a final, there is always a winner and a loser, and that doesn’t mean the loser has necessarily done anything wrong,” Enrique added. “We will lose again at some point, because that is what happens in top-level football, but I think the path is clear for everyone.”

Poland end Euro 2025 on high note with historic Padilla-Bidas goal, win over Denmark

LUCERNE, Switzerland: Poland’s Natalia Padilla-Bidas scored her country’s first goal at a major women’s tournament in a 3-2 victory over Denmark on Saturday that sends Poland home from their European championship debut on a high note. Both teams had already been eliminated from quarter-final contention so Saturday’s match was about final group placings with Poland finishing third and Denmark fourth. Bayern Munich’s Padilla-Bidas brought the Polish fans to their feet at Allmend Stadion with her historic strike in the 12th minute when a loose ball fell at her feet and she fired home. Ewa Pajor, Poland’s all-time leading goalscorer, doubled their lead eight minutes later when she intercepted the ball in the midfield, laid it out to Padilla-Bidas then charged to the back post to head it in. Janni Thomsen pulled one back in the 59th minute but Poland restored their two-goal lead when substitute Martyna Wiankowska struck from the edge of the box, firing the ball in off the bar. Denmark, runners-up at Euro 2017, replied in the 83rd minute when Signe Bruun headed in Katrine Veje’s pinpoint cross.

Sweden storm to group victory with 4-1 win over Germany

ZURICH: Sweden made the most of the sending-off of Germany defender Carlotta Wamser to sweep to a 4-1 win and secure top spot in their Group C clash on Saturday, with the Germans also going through to the quarter-finals as runners-up The Swedes finished top of the group with a perfect nine points from their three games and will take on the runners-up in Group D — which features France, England, Netherlands and Wales — with the Germans taking on the winners of that group. Germany defender Wamser set up Jule Brand for her side’s opener in the seventh minute, but the Swedes hit back through Stina Blackstenius five minutes later and they took the lead through a fortuitous goal from fullback Smilla Holmberg in the 25th minute. Wamser’s red card for a deliberate handball in the box in the 32nd minute allowed Fridolina Rolfo to confidently slot home the resulting penalty, and substitute Lina Hurtig rubbed salt in Germany’s wounds with an 80th-minute goal to seal an emphatic win.

Iga Swiatek destroys Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 to win first Wimbledon title

LONDON: Iga Swiatek demolished Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 in the most one-sided women’s Wimbledon final for 114 years to win her sixth Grand Slam title.The Polish eighth seed was in charge from the first point and wrapped up victory in just 57 minutes in a brutal display of precision hitting on Center Court.It is the first time a woman has won a final at Wimbledon without dropping a game since 1911, when Britain’s Dorothea Lambert Chambers triumphed by the same scoreline.And Swiatek, 24, is just the second player in the Open era to win a major without losing a game in the final since Steffi Graf humbled Natalia Zvereva at the 1988 French Open.“It seems super surreal,” said Swiatek, who is the first Wimbledon singles champion from Poland and has now won majors on all surfaces.“I didn’t even dream, for me it was way too far. I feel like I am already an experienced player after winning the Slams before but I never expected this one.“This year I really, really enjoyed it and feel I improved my form here.“I am always going to remember the opening of champagne bottles between serves.

Mitch Evans wins in Berlin, Rowland’s Formula E title bid on hold

BERLIN: Jaguar's Mitch Evans won the first of two Formula E races in Berlin on Saturday as Nissan's Oliver Rowland failed to finish on a grey and soggy afternoon that left the Briton's title bid on hold for another day at least.

Wenger defends Club World Cup amid Klopp criticism

NEW YORK: Arsene Wenger has dismissed Jurgen Klopp’s criticism of FIFA’s revamped 32-team Club World Cup, calling the tournament a “fantastic competition” and emphasizing the support it has received from participating teams, players, and managers.

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Messi at the double again to lift Miami to MLS win over Nashville

Crawley’s last-over ‘theatrics’ against India spark time-wasting row at Lord’s

PSG-Chelsea final ‘is not going to be simple formality’

Poland end Euro 2025 on high note with historic Padilla-Bidas goal, win over Denmark

Sweden storm to group victory with 4-1 win over Germany

Iga Swiatek destroys Amanda Anisimova 6-0, 6-0 to win first Wimbledon title

Mitch Evans wins in Berlin, Rowland’s Formula E title bid on hold

Wenger defends Club World Cup amid Klopp criticism