PARIS: Lionel Messi scored a superb second-half winner as a Paris Saint-Germain side missing the injured Kylian Mbappe and Neymar came from behind to beat Toulouse 2-1 on Saturday and consolidate their lead at the top of Ligue 1.
Dutch midfielder Branco van den Boomen gave mid-table Toulouse the lead at the Parc des Princes from a 20th-minute free-kick, only for Achraf Hakimi to curl in the equalizer with half-time approaching.
Messi then put PSG in front just before the hour mark with a glorious first-time strike on his left foot low into the corner of the net from just outside the area.
It was Messi’s 10th Ligue 1 goal of the season and his 15th for his club this campaign, as the World Cup winner stepped up in the absence of PSG’s two other superstar attackers.
The Qatar-owned club are now eight points clear at the top of the table from Marseille, who play Nice on Sunday and then host PSG in the French Cup last 16 in midweek.
Mbappe will miss that game and the Champions League last-16 first leg against Bayern Munich on February 14 after being ruled out for three weeks with a thigh injury suffered in the 3-1 win at Montpellier last Wednesday.
Neymar missed a second successive game here with an apparently minor adductor problem, meaning it was left to Messi to lead the attack alongside the 20-year-old Hugo Ekitike with support from Vitinha and Carlos Soler.
But Christophe Galtier’s side have other injury issues, with Sergio Ramos unable to play and Renato Sanches forced to come off in tears just 12 minutes into the game.
The Portuguese midfielder was starting for just the fifth time since joining from Lille at the start of the season.
He was replaced by teenage defender El Chadaille Bitshiabu, with Danilo Pereira moving up into the midfield, and the substitute was partly responsible when PSG fell behind.
Bitshiabu was booked for bringing down Zakaria Aboukhlal 25 meters from goal, and Van den Boomen sent the resulting free-kick low into the left corner of the net with Gianluigi Donnarumma beaten.
Messi hit the post from a corner and Toulouse had another goal disallowed for offside before the home side drew level seven minutes from half-time as Hakimi collected a Carlos Soler pass, cut in from the right flank and curled a shot on his left foot into the far corner from 20 meters.
Hakimi then turned provider as he set up Messi to make it 2-1 on 58 minutes and the outcome was rarely in doubt after that with PSG — who have had some recent wobbles — deserved winners.
Substitute Mikkel Desler did force a good save from Donnarumma deep into injury time before Messi hit the post again right at the death.
Lyon visit Troyes later before fifth-placed Rennes host Lille looking for an 11th consecutive home league win.
Messi hits winner as PSG come from behind to beat Toulouse
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Messi hits winner as PSG come from behind to beat Toulouse
- Messi then put PSG in front just before the hour mark with a glorious first-time strike
- It was Messi's 10th Ligue 1 goal of the season and his 15th for his club this campaign
Broadhead to the rescue as Wales draw Euro 2024 qualifier with Croatia
- Wales have now gone nine games without a win but this result will doubtless feel like a victory for Rob Page’s men
SPLIT, Croatia: Debutant Nathan Broadhead proved an unlikely savior as Wales started life without Gareth Bale by snatching a 1-1 draw in a Euro 2024 qualifier against World Cup semifinalists Croatia in Split on Saturday.
Andrej Kramaric’s first-half strike looked like it would be enough to give group favorites Croatia a winning start to their campaign.
And the hosts were still in front until the third and final minute of stoppage time when Croatia failed to clear Connor Roberts’ long throw and substitute Broadhead squeezed the ball in at the far post.
Wales have now gone nine games without a win but this result will doubtless feel like a victory for Rob Page’s men.
There was no disguising the joy felt by the 24-year-old Broadhead, who now plays his club football for English third-tier side Ipswich following a January move from Premier League strugglers Everton.
“I got a bit overwhelmed to be honest, a bit emotional,” Broadhead told S4C. “I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long.
“We needed a point, we came here to try and win but to get a point is good as well. We are made up.”
Great debuts for De la Fuente, Joselu as Spain beat Norway
- The Germany-born Espanyol striker became the first Spain player to score twice on his debut since Fernando Morientes in 1998
MALAGA, Spain: A winning debut for coach Luis de la Fuente with Spain. And a magical one for striker Joselu.
Joselu scored in the 84th and 85th minutes — shortly after coming off the bench — to help seal Spain’s 3-0 win over Norway on Saturday in De la Fuente’s first game in charge.
Dani Olmo had scored early as Spain opened their qualifying campaign for the 2024 European Championship with the victory over a Norway squad that was without star forward Erling Haaland because of a groin injury.
“I still don’t believe it. I scored twice in my debut,” the 32-year-old Joselu said. “This is everything a player can ask for. Hard work has its rewards. I feel like an 18-year-old kid.”
Before entering the match in the 81st, Joselu kissed his shin guards, which have a picture of his late father on one of them and his wife, kids and mother on the other.
“They all give me strength,” he said.
The Germany-born Espanyol striker became the first Spain player to score twice on his debut since Fernando Morientes in 1998.
“It’s our job to know the players, but all credit goes to Joselu,” De la Fuente said. “We gave him the opportunity and I’m happy for him and for all the players.”
It was Spain’s 23rd straight win in a European qualifier at home.
Norway, trying to make it to a major tournament for the first time since Euro 2000, remains with only one win in nine matches against Spain.
La Roja arrived with a squad overhauled by coach De la Fuente after he was promoted from Spain’s under-21 team to replace Luis Enrique in December following the team’s elimination against Morocco in the round of 16 of the World Cup.
De la Fuente made it a priority to solve the scoring problems of a squad that managed only one win in Qatar after dominating possession in most games but failing to create many significant scoring opportunities.
Spain again struggled against Norway, though, and was unable to capitalize on their chances during most of the match as the visitors played solidly from the start.
“It’s normal to suffer in matches at this level,” De la Fuente said. “I’m happy with the attitude that we showed, it gives me reason to be very optimistic. We will keep improving.”
Olmo put Spain ahead in the 13th minute by redirecting Alejandro Balde’s low cross. Joselu, who replaced starting striker Alvaro Morata, sealed the victory with a header and a close-range shot.
One of Norway’s best opportunities to equalize had gone to Real Sociedad striker Alexander Sorloth. His volley from inside the area went just wide in the 80th.
Spain has won four of its last five games against Norway. The sides are paired together in Euro qualifying for the second tournament in a row.
Spain’s next match is on Tuesday at Scotland. Norway will be at Georgia. Group A also includes Cyprus. The top two teams in each group advance.
Nigeria will bounce back after shock loss to Guinea-Bissau, Iwobi says
- Next time will make the country proud, star says, referring to a Group A rematch on Monday
JOHANNESBURG: Everton midfielder Alex Iwobi promised that Nigeria will bounce back after suffering a shock 1-0 home loss to Guinea-Bissau on Friday in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying.
It was one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition as Mama Balde scored for the Wild Dogs, who are 81 places below the Super Eagles in the FIFA world rankings.
“As players and staff, we know we have to react to this result,” said Iwobi, one of three Premier League stars in the starting line-up.
“All we can do is improve and, to the fans, all I can say is that they should stick by us and support us because we give 100 percent not just for ourselves, but also for our nation.
“Next time we are going to do our best and make the country proud,” he added, referring to a Group A rematch in Guinea-Bissau on Monday.
Balde, who plays for French top-tier club Troyes, scored on 30 minutes in Abuja to take the Portuguese-speaking nation to the top of the table.
Guinea-Bissau have seven points, Nigeria six, Sierra Leone two and Sao Tome e Principe one, halfway through the six-round mini-league. The top two finishers progress to the finals.
Nigeria, whose line-up included prolific Napoli scorer Victor Osimhen, were firm favorites to win at home.
But after a bright start, with Osimhen coming close to scoring on 16 minutes, the home side battled to create clear-cut scoring opportunities in the capital city.
HIGHLIGHTS
It was one of the biggest upsets in the history of the competition as Mama Balde scored for the Wild Dogs.
Elsewhere, some of the biggest names in Africa were among the goals, including Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Sebastien Haller.
Salah claimed the first goal and played a role in the second as Egypt beat Malawi 2-0 in Cairo to rise from last to first in Group D.
Mane scored the second goal in a 5-1 Group L rout of Mozambique in Dakar.
As the match reached the half hour mark, Balde raced on to a lofted pass and fired a low shot past goalkeeper Francis Uzoho.
Osimhen, who has been linked with a move to Manchester United or Arsenal, became increasingly frustrated as poor service and close marking restricted his threat.
It was the fifth loss in seven matches for Nigeria coach Jose Peseiro, and another defeat next week in Bissau could spell the end for the Portuguese.
“We could have been here for another hour and not scored,” said Peseiro.
“I am not happy. I am sad, like my team, but they did the maximum. If you play like we played, you can beat any team, not only Guinea-Bissau.”
In Soweto, Belgium-born South Africa coach Hugo Broos stormed back to the dressing room before the final whistle after seeing his side surrender a two-goal lead in a 2-2 Group K draw with Liberia.
Lyle Foster put the hosts two goals ahead by half-time, but Tonia Tisdell halved the deficit entering the final quarter and Mohammed Sangare levelled in added time.
Broos initially refused to attend the post-match press conference, then spoke briefly and refused to answer questions.
“There are too many disappointments, too many frustrations and too much anger in my body. If I say anything, it will not be nice,” he said.
“In the past, I have always been ready to answer your questions — even difficult ones. But I hope that you understand that tonight it is going to be very, very difficult to do that.”
The draw meant 2022 World Cup semifinalists Morocco, who had a bye, became the first team to book a place at the finals apart from hosts the Ivory Coast, who qualify automatically.
Elsewhere, some of the biggest names in Africa were among the goals, including Sadio Mane, Mohamed Salah and Sebastien Haller.
Returning to the Senegalese line-up after missing the World Cup due to a leg injury, Mane scored the second goal in a 5-1 Group L rout of Mozambique in Dakar.
Salah claimed the first goal and played a role in the second as Egypt beat Malawi 2-0 in Cairo to rise from last to first in Group D.
Haller, who resumed playing last month after successful treatment for testicular cancer, notched the second goal for the Ivory Coast in a 3-1 Group H victory over the Comoros in Bouake.
Tanzania won an east African showdown against Uganda in Group F 1-0 thanks to a superb second-half strike from Simon Msuva.
Tuchel ready for tough start at Bayern after surprise move
- Tuchel goes straight into crucial games, starting with German title rival — and Tuchel’s former club — Borussia Dortmund on April 1
- Ten days later, Bayern play Manchester City in the quarterfinals of the Champions League
MUNICH: New Bayern Munich coach Thomas Tuchel acknowledged Saturday he faces a challenging start to his new job after his surprise hiring Friday to replace Julian Nagelsmann.
Tuchel goes straight into crucial games, starting with German title rival — and Tuchel’s former club — Borussia Dortmund on April 1.
“The challenge can’t be any greater,” Tuchel said.
Ten days later, Bayern play Manchester City in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.
There will be little time to rest or practice new tactics, with many Bayern players currently away with their national teams and then seven games in the first 22 days of April.
“I was relatively naive in the first conversation (with Bayern). In the first 30 seconds I didn’t know what we were discussing or what it was about,” Tuchel said.
Once it became clear Bayern wanted him to take charge immediately, “it occurred to me that it actually begins right away with Dortmund with an international break beforehand.”
Bayern against Dortmund is “the” game in German soccer, he added.
Tuchel said the move came as a surprise and that as recently as Tuesday he had no contact with Bayern. He imagined his next job would be outside of Germany, he added, but that he had been following Bayern’s season with interest.
Tuchel hasn’t worked in Germany since 2017. When he left, the only major trophy he’d won was the German Cup with Dortmund. He returns having won two French titles at Paris Saint-Germain and the Champions League and Club World Cup with Chelsea.
Bayern can still win three titles this season — the Bundesliga, the German Cup and the Champions League.
Consistency is a concern after Bayern chief executive Oliver Kahn highlighted that as a reason for getting rid of Nagelsmann.
Bayern are likely to be looking for Tuchel to get the best out of players like Leroy Sané and Serge Gnabry, whose form has dropped off this season, and Sadio Mané, who has rarely been at his best in an injury-disrupted season since joining from Liverpool.
Sporting director Hasan Salihamidžić said the club backed Nagelsmann as concerns grew over the team’s performance but decided on a change at a meeting Monday, a day after a loss to Bayer Leverkusen cost Bayern the Bundesliga lead.
“When you see that this curve of performance is going down, you’re forced to react,” he said, asked if Bayern had reacted to the possibility Tuchel might take a job elsewhere. “Fortunately, there was a top option on the market and it happened quickly.”
Qatar’s Al Thani submits new $6 bln bid for Manchester United — Sky News
Sheikh Jassim bin Hamad Al Thani has submitted a new bid to buy Manchester United which is believed to be worth around 5 billion pounds ($6.12 billion), Sky News reported on Saturday.
Sheikh Jassim, a son of Qatar’s former prime minister, launched the bid in February. A spokesperson representing Sheikh Jassim said at the time that the bid was completely debt free, via Sheikh Jassim’s Nine Two Foundation.
Finnish entrepreneur Thomas Zilliacus also placed a bid on Thursday and told Reuters that he was willing to pay a premium for the English soccer club.
United’s current owners, the Glazer family, began looking at options for the record 20-times English champions in November, including new investment or a potential sale, 17 years after they bought the Old Trafford club.
Manchester United did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment.
($1 = 0.8177 pounds)
