FRANCE
LFP to probe alleged racism
The president of France’s Professional Football League (LFP), Frederic Thiriez, on Sunday called for an investigation into claims AJ Auxerre’s Kamel Chafni was racially abused by a linesman. Chafni, a Morocco international, was sent off following an altercation with assistant referee Johann Perruaux in the 55th minute of Auxerre’s 1-0 loss at Stade Brestois 29 on Saturday. The midfielder had to be restrained by his teammates, as well as players from Brest, and as he left the pitch, following a delay of five minutes. He said he had been the victim of racist abuse. “The LFP president has spoken with the Auxerre president, Gerard Bourgoin, the Director of National Refereeing, Marc Batta, and the referee from the match, Tony Chapron,” a statement released by the LFP said. “Frederic Thiriez has demanded the opening of an inquiry in order to shed light on this affair as quickly as possible.” Interviewed on TV station Canal+ on Sunday evening, Chafni stood by his version of events. “I went over to the linesman to ask him why he hadn’t given us a free-kick,” he said. “I might have been a bit aggressive, but he replied: ‘Get lost, Arab.’ I went to see Mr Chapron, as it was a serious incident, and he gives me a yellow card without trying to understand, and then he gives me a red card, even though there was a racist insult. I’m angry with Mr Chapron. It was a serious situation and he gives a card without even thinking about it.”
NETHERLANDS
PSV close in on leaders
PSV Eindhoven thrashed Heerenveen 5-1 away on Sunday to close to within one point of Dutch league leaders AZ Alkmaar, who suffered a 2-1 defeat at NAC Breda. PSV settled the issue in their most convincing performance this season in six minutes in the first half, when Ola Toivonen struck twice and Tim Matavz added a third. Early in the second half, Georginio Wijnaldum headed home the fourth followed by a goal from Brazilian Marcelo, before Rajiv van la Parra gave the hosts their consolation goal. Anthony Lurling put Breda ahead against Alkmaar with a sophisticated chip over goalkeeper Esteban after 31 minutes, but on the stroke of halftime Brett Holman equalized. In the final minute, Milano Koenders, on loan from Alkmaar, handed the leaders their third defeat of the season. Alkmaar remain top with 38 points after 17 matches, followed by PSV on 37. Twente, 3-2 losers at Feyenoord, are third with 33 points, ahead of Ajax on on goal-difference. Ajax cruised to a 4-0 win over 10-man ADO Den Haag. Christian Eriksen opened the scoring on 19 minutes after Ramon Leeuwin was sent off and second-half goals by Theo Janssen, Dmitry Bulykin and Miralem Sulejmani sealed the win.
PORTUGAL
Sporting lose ground
Sporting lost ground to Benfica and Porto at the top of the league after needing a late equalizer from Elias to rescue a 1-1 draw at Academica on Sunday. The result left Sporting in third with 27 points from 13 matches, six behind Benfica and Porto. Ederzito opened the scoring for Academica in the 28th minute, but Elias leveled the scores in the 80th minute to snatch a point. Elias was sent off in the 89th minute to damage Sporting’s hopes of a late winner. Benfica beat Rio Ave 5-1 on Friday, while Porto had a 2-0 home win against Maritimo on Saturday. The leaders have been joint top for nine rounds. Also on Sunday, Feirense had a 2-1 win over Leiria, Nacional drew 1-1 with Vitoria Setubal and Beira-Mar won 3-0 at Pacos Ferreira.
Freddie Freeman homered and drove in four runs, Shohei Ohtani also went deep and Roki Sasaki earned his first major league win as the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 10-3 on Saturday night for their seventh straight victory. The Dodgers have won the first two games of the series to improve to 5-0 against Atlanta this year. Los Angeles’ three-game sweep at home early in the season left the Braves 0-7. Sasaki allowed three runs and six hits over five innings. The 23-year-old right-hander gave up a home run to Ozzie Albies, but received plenty of offensive support in his
INTER AWAIT: Superb saves by PSG ’keeper Gianluigi Donnarumma inspired the victory, as Arsenal were punished for misses, including one by Bukayo Saka Arsenal on Wednesday fell short on the big stage again as their painful UEFA Champions League semi-final exit against Paris Saint-Germain left Mikel Arteta to rue his club’s failure to provide him with enough attacking options. Arteta’s side were unable to reach the Champions League final for the first time in 19 years as PSG clinched a tense 2-1 win at Parc des Princes. Trailing 1-0 from last week’s first leg in London, the Gunners made a blistering start to the second leg, but could not convert their chances as Gianluigi Donnarumma’s superb saves inspired PSG’s 3-1 aggregate victory. Arsenal were punished for
Bayern Munich on Sunday were crowned German champions for the 34th time, giving striker Harry Kane his first major trophy, after second-placed Bayer 04 Leverkusen drew 2-2 at SC Freiburg. Bayern’s 3-3 draw at RB Leipzig on Saturday, when the Bavarians came from two goals down to take the lead before conceding a stoppage-time equalizer, meant defending Bundesliga champions Leverkusen needed to win at Freiburg to delay the title party. Leverkusen were two goals down before scoring twice in the final 10 minutes, but Xabi Alonso’s side could not find a third, as Bayern reclaimed the title at the first attempt after
THRILLER: Raphinha gave Barca a 3-2 lead with two minutes remaining of regular time, but Francesco Acerbi equalized the game in the second minute of added time Davide Frattesi on Tuesday fired Inter into the UEFA Champions League final with an extra-time winner that gave the Italians a stunning 4-3 triumph over Barcelona, 7-6 on aggregate. Italy midfielder Frattesi won a tie for the ages under a downpour in Milan when he lashed home in the 99th minute, sending a packed and rocking San Siro wild with joy. Simone Inzaghi’s team will face either Arsenal or Paris Saint-Germain at the end of this month in Munich, Germany, where they would feel they have a great chance to be crowned kings of Europe for a fourth time after
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