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Atletico survive Dortmund onslaught to claim 2-1 Champions League victory

Dortmund's French forward #09 Sebastien Haller (2nd R) fights for the ball with Atletico Madrid's Uruguayan defender #02 Jose Gimenez during the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg football match between Club Atletico de Madrid and Borussia Dortmund at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid on April 10, 2024. OSCAR DEL POZO / AFP

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Atletico keep advantage on Dortmund


Atletico Madrid earned a 2-1 Champions League quarter-final first leg victory over Borussia Dortmund on Wednesday, surviving a late onslaught from the visitors.

Rodrigo De Paul and Samuel Lino’s first half goals gave Diego Simeone’s side a commanding lead but Sebastien Haller pulled one back to give the German side a foothold in the tie ahead of next week’s return in Dortmund.

Edin Terzic’s side, fifth in the Bundesliga, improved greatly after a slow start and hit the woodwork twice in the final stages of a match which saw security measures reinforced after the Islamic State (IS) group made threats against stadiums used for last-eight ties.

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Atletico Madrid had flown out of the traps, keen to grasp a golden opportunity to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2017.

Dortmund could not cope with the Rojiblancos’ high press and De Paul fired the hosts ahead after Ian Maatsen gave the ball away.

Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel passed the ball to the on-loan Chelsea defender, who panicked under pressure and played a slack pass which De Paul gleefully intercepted.

The Argentina international finished calmly to amp up the already loud Metropolitano stadium crowd.

Atletico have not lost any of their home Champions League knock-out games during Simeone’s 12 years at the helm and continued to flood forward confidently.

Kobel clawed away a brilliant backheel flick by former Dortmund midfielder Axel Witsel, a key part of Atletico’s back-line after his move in 2022.

The only negative note from a fine Atletico first half was a booking Lino earned, ruling him out for the second leg.

A few minutes later the Brazilian doubled his team’s lead after another Dortmund defensive mix-up.

Mats Hummels, on his 500th appearance for Dortmund, badly directed a header into Alvaro Morata’s path and he and Antoine Griezmann combined to feed Lino, who slid a low effort past Kobel.

Dortmund carved out their first opening after 35 minutes but Witsel dived in to deflect Karim Adeyemi’s shot on to the roof of Jan Oblak’s net.

Terzic brought on Julian Brandt for Felix Nmecha at half-time in search of more attacking spark.

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Missing sick top goalscorer Donyell Malen the Bundesliga side struggled to find a way past Oblak, who saved from Niclas Fuellkrug early in a far tighter second half.

Kobel made a stunning save to deny Lino his second goal from point-blank range and Dortmund swiftly capitalised on it through substitute Haller.

Nahuel Molina made poor contact on a clearance and the ball fell to the towering striker who drove it beyond Oblak.

Despite the visitors finding a foothold in the game, Atletico held on by the skin of their teeth and Dortmund fell to their first away defeat in four months.

Hummels made up for his earlier error with a fine challenge to dispossess Angel Correa as he ran in on goal before Dortmund twice came close to an equaliser.

English winger Jamie Bynoe-Gittens’s long-range drive deflected off Cesar Azpilicueta’s head and hit the crossbar.

Brandt also nodded against the frame of the goal in stoppage time in a frantic finale.

Simeone was able to celebrate his 50th Champions League victory as a coach, becoming the ninth man to achieve the feat.

One neither Simeone or Atletico have yet achieved is conquering the Champions League, but this win is a shaky step towards the semi-finals.

AFP


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Osimhen Nets First-Half Brace as Galatasaray Leads Bodø/Glimt 2-0

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Victor Osimhen scored twice in the first half to give Galatasaray a 2-0 lead over Bodø/Glimt in their UEFA Champions League match at Rams Park on Wednesday.

The Nigerian striker, on loan from Napoli, opened the scoring in the third minute after intercepting a pass from Mario Lemina and added a second goal just before halftime by exploiting a defensive error from Patrick Berg.

READ ALSO: CAF Awards 2025: Victor Osimhen, Stanley Nwabali Nominated as Lookman Misses Out

Osimhen’s brace marks his third and fourth goals in the competition this season, enhancing Galatasaray’s standing in the group stage.

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Rashford’s Barcelona Revival Fuels El Clásico Hype

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Marcus Rashford shines at Barcelona with 5 goals and 5 assists ahead of El Clásico vs Real Madrid. Hansi Flick hails his confidence and attacking influence.
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Marcus Rashford’s resurgence at Barcelona is gathering pace, with the English forward recording five goals and five assists in 12 appearances since joining on loan from Manchester United in the summer of 2025.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has praised the 27-year-old’s adaptability and growing confidence, describing him as a “key creative force” in the team’s frontline. Rashford’s speed, work rate, and improved finishing have quickly made him a fan favorite at the Camp Nou.

Speaking ahead of the highly anticipated El Clásico clash against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu on October 26, Rashford revealed that facing Los Blancos was one of the main motivations behind his move to Spain.

“Playing in El Clásico is something every player dreams about,” Rashford said. “It’s one of the biggest matches in world football — and a major reason why I came to Barcelona.”

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The Englishman’s form has added another layer of excitement to the upcoming showdown, with fans eager to see if he can make his mark in his first-ever El Clásico appearance.

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Arsenal Demolish Atletico Madrid 4–0 in Champions League Second-Half Rout

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Arsenal crush Atletico Madrid 4–0 in the Champions League with a stunning 13-minute second-half blitz. Gyökeres scores twice; Rice stars with four assists.
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Arsenal delivered a statement performance in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night, thrashing Atletico Madrid 4–0 at the Emirates Stadium after a stunning second-half surge.

Following a goalless first half, the Gunners exploded with four goals in a 13-minute spell to secure their biggest European win of the season. Viktor Gyökeres struck twice, Gabriel Martinelli added one, and Declan Rice orchestrated the attack with assists for every goal.

Teenage midfielder Myles Lewis-Skelly also impressed, providing the assist for Martinelli’s finish as Mikel Arteta’s side overwhelmed Diego Simeone’s men with pace and precision.

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The victory extends Arsenal’s unbeaten home run in the Champions League group stage to nine matches and marks their seventh straight win over Spanish opposition in the competition — a remarkable show of European consistency.

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Chelsea Marks 100 Days as FIFA Club World Cup Champions

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Chelsea players celebrate after winning the FIFA Club World Cup 2025 final against Paris Saint-Germain.
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Chelsea Football Club is marking 100 days since their historic 3–0 victory over Paris Saint-Germain in the final of the inaugural expanded FIFA Club World Cup on July 13, 2025, at the MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

The memorable night saw Cole Palmer star with two goals and an assist, while João Pedro added a third, sealing Chelsea’s triumph and completing the club’s remarkable sweep of all major official European club trophies.

Fans Celebrate Online

To commemorate the milestone, Chelsea fans took to X (formerly Twitter) to celebrate the club’s global achievement, generating over 110,000 engagements. Supporters shared memories, match clips, and rivalry banter under trending hashtags such as #ClubWorldChampions and #Chelsea100DaysOn.

Many fans reflected on the club’s dominance under manager Enzo Maresca, while others highlighted Palmer’s evolution into one of Europe’s top attacking talents.

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The victory not only etched Chelsea’s name in world football history but also secured their reign as Club World Champions until 2029, when FIFA’s next expanded edition is scheduled.

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Nottingham Forest Appoint Sean Dyche as Head Coach Until 2027

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Sean Dyche returns to Nottingham Forest as head coach on a deal until 2027, replacing Ange Postecoglou after failed talks with Mancini and Silva.
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Nottingham Forest have appointed Sean Dyche as their new head coach on a contract running until June 2027.

The 54-year-old Englishman, who began his playing career as a youth player at the club, returns to the City Ground to take charge following the dismissal of Ange Postecoglou, who lasted just 39 days in the role.

Dyche Returns Home

Dyche’s appointment comes after Forest’s unsuccessful attempts to secure former Italy boss Roberto Mancini and Marco Silva, who opted to remain at Fulham.

The club confirmed that Dyche officially arrived at the training ground on Monday, where he met the squad alongside his trusted assistants Ian Woan and Steve Stone — both former Forest players.

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Immediate Challenge

The former Burnley and Everton manager faces an immediate challenge as he looks to steady a Forest side struggling near the Premier League relegation zone. His first task will be preparing the team for Thursday’s Europa League clash against FC Porto at the City Ground.

Dyche is known for his disciplined defensive setups and pragmatic style, which the club hopes will bring stability and improved performances after a turbulent start to the season.

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