FIFA
Valcke banned for 12 years
Banned FIFA president Sepp Blatter’s long-time right-hand man, Jerome Valcke, was banned from all soccer-related activity for 12 years on Friday for misconduct during his term as FIFA secretary-general. Valcke was found guilty by FIFA’s ethics committee of wide-ranging offenses, including taking private jets for personal use, destroying evidence and trying to force through an undervalued sale of 2018 and 2022 FIFA World Cup television rights for the Caribbean.
LA LIGA
Gijon held by Rayo
Real Sporting de Gijon and Rayo Vallecano de Madrid drew 2-2 in La Liga on Friday, a result that left both teams near the relegation zone. Miguel Angel Guerrero put Gijon ahead after a blunder by Joaquin Marin in the fifth minute before Venezuelan striker Nicolas Fedor Miku equalized for Rayo in the 39th minute. Croatian midfielder Alen Halilovic put the hosts ahead again just before halftime before Jozabed Sanchez Ruiz completed the scoring in the 58th minute at the El Molinon in Gijon, Spain. The draw kept Rayo in 15th place, with 24 points from 24 matches, one point ahead of 16th-place Gijon, who have a game in hand.
SERIE A
Roma defeat Carpi
Edin Dzeko broke his goalscoring drought to help AS Roma win 3-1 at relegation-threatened Carpi and move provisionally third in Serie A on Friday. It was a fourth successive win for Roma and sent the capital side a point above ACF Fiorentina, who host fifth-placed Inter today. Roma appeared to be heading for a draw before Dzeko slotted in Mohamed Salah’s cross six minutes from time for his first goal since November last year. Salah sealed the win moments later, tapping in a rebound after Carpi goalkeeper Vid Belec had denied Radja Nainggolan. The Egypt international also hit the crossbar shortly before halftime. Substitute Kevin Lasagna scored for Carpi on the hour, minutes after Lucas Digne fired a well-placed effort into the far side of the net for the opener.
BUNDESLIGA
Mainz beat Schalke
FSV Mainz 05 captain Julian Baumgartlinger’s first Bundesliga goal gave his side a 2-1 win over Schalke 04 that lifted his side provisionally into fifth place on Friday. Baumgartlinger scored the winning goal in the 79th minute, converting Yunus Malli’s cross with a powerful header after Schalke’s Leroy Sane lost the ball in midfield. French defender Gaetan Bussmann, who won the ball from Sane, put Mainz ahead in the 33rd minute, firing inside the right post with a volley after Roman Neustaedter could only half-clear a corner. Winter signing Younes Belhanda equalized right after the break, blasting the ball home from close range after Stefan Bell cleared Max Meyer’s initial effort off the line.
LIGUE 1
Rennes deny Angers late on
A stoppage-time own-goal from defender Arnold Bouka Moutou helped Stade Rennais to a 1-0 win over Angers SCO as the Brittany club leapfrogged the promoted side in the French league standings. Following 90 minutes of goalless action, the game looked set for a stalemate, but substitute Bouka Moutou deflected a corner from Paul-Georges Ntep with a header that left goalkeeper Denis Petric stranded. Petric had made what appeared to be a decisive save in the 87th minute when he denied Kamil Grosicki’s close-range effort as well as parrying captain Romain Danze’s header.
SSC Napoli will have to wait one more week to seal the Serie A title after on Sunday being held to a goalless draw at Parma, while closest rivals Inter drew 2-2 in a dramatic game with SS Lazio. Antonio Conte’s team stayed one point ahead of Inter and were unfortunate not to win after twice striking the woodwork through Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa and Matteo Politano, while Scott McTominay also had a free-kick tipped onto the crossbar. The away side thought they would be handed a chance to take the points from the penalty spot in the 96th minute when David Neres
Omar Marmoush’s stunning long-range strike on Tuesday upstaged Kevin de Bruyne on the Manchester City great’s Etihad farewell. Marmoush let fly from about 30m to put City ahead in their 3-1 win against AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League. The victory moved Pep Guardiola’s team up to third in the standings and left qualification for the UEFA Champions League in their own hands heading into the last round of the season. “It’s really important. To be in the Champions League after what happened [this season] will be really nice,” the City manager said. De Bruyne was making his final home appearance for City before
Brighton & Hove Albion’s Jack Hinshelwood on Monday sealed a dramatic 3-2 victory against Liverpool to leave the English Premier League champions without a win since clinching the title. Arne Slot’s side took the lead through Harvey Elliott’s early opener before Yasin Ayari equalized at the American Express Stadium. Dominik Szoboszlai restored Liverpool’s advantage just before halftime, but Brighton staged a late fightback as Kaoru Mitoma leveled before Hinshelwood came off the bench to net with his first touch. Liverpool have taken just one point from their three matches following the title-clinching rout of Tottenham Hotspur on April 27. The Reds have lost at
Logan O’Hoppe, Taylor Ward and Matthew Lugo homered, and the Los Angeles Angels spoiled Clayton Kershaw’s season debut, beating the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-9 on Saturday night to take the first two games of the three-game series. Kershaw allowed three runs and threw 38 pitches in the first inning. The three-time National League Cy Young Award winner lasted four innings, giving up five runs on five hits with three walks and two strikeouts. Shoulder, toe and knee injuries limited Kershaw to seven games last season, and his 2025 debut was delayed as he recovered from multiple offseason surgeries. O’Hoppe had two hits with
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