Elche will return to LaLiga for the 2020-21 season after beating Girona 1-0 with a stoppage-time winner in the second leg of their promotion play-off final.
With Thursday s first leg in Elche finishing 0-0, the return clash in Catalonia also appeared set to finish without a goal in the regulation 90 minutes.
But Pere Milla headed in the decisive goal in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time, as Elche made the most of their numerical advantage following the dismissal of Cristhian Stuani, who was shown a red card after a VAR review deemed he stamped on an opponent.
Victory sees Elche return to LaLiga after five years away.
They were relegated from LaLiga in 2014-15 despite finishing 13th, as Elche became the first club in the division s history to …
Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk was rewarded for his stellar campaign by winning the PFA Players Player of the Year on Sunday.
Van Dijk, 27, has led what is currently the Premier League s best defence, putting Jurgen Klopp s men in title contention with just two games remaining.
The Netherlands international became the second Liverpool player in as many seasons to be named player of the year, joining team-mate Mohamed Salah.
We take a look at some of the Opta numbers behind Van Dijk s individual honour.
Congratulations, VVD! has been named as the Players’ Player of the Year.
— Liverpool FC (@LFC)
0 – No opposition player has completed a dribble past Van Dijk in 36 league games this season. The run stretches back to March – …
LAFC head coach Steve Cherundolo hailed Gareth Bale for his last-gasp equaliser and substitute goalkeeper John McCarthy for his shoot-out heroics amid the chaos of Saturday s MLS Cup triumph.
Cherundolo s side clinched the MLS Cup with a 3-0 penalty shoot-out win over Philadelphia Union after the game had ended 3-3 following regulation and added time in a incredibly dramatic final at Banc of California Stadium.
LAFC goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau was sent off in the 116th minute and left with a suspected broken leg for a last-man foul after a nightmare back-pass from Jesus Murillo.
After a lengthy delay for treatment for Crepeau, Union took the lead in the 124th minute from Jack Elliott s close-range finish, but substitute Bale sent it to penalties with a 128th-minute…
Inter head coach Antonio Conte does not want supporters to buy into negativity surrounding the club s Champions League exit.
The Nerazzurri were frustrated in a goalless midweek draw against Shakhtar Donetsk that saw them dumped out of European competition for the rest of the season.
Real Madrid and Borussia Monchengladbach occupied the top two spots in Group B, with Shakhtar dropping down to the Europa League.
It means Serie A is once again the prime focus for Conte, whose side lie third five points shy of leaders and bitter rivals Milan as they prepare to travel to Cagliari on Sunday.
The former Italy and Chelsea boss offered an impassioned defence of his 18 months in charge at Inter, who finished as Serie A and Europa League runners-up last term, and b…
Milan failed to move back within three points of Serie A leaders Napoli as goals from Koffi Djidji and Aleksey Miranchuk condemned the Rossoneri to a surprise 2-1 loss to Torino.
Miranchuk followed up Djidji s glancing header with a cultured left-footed finish as Torino scored twice in two frantic first-half minutes to stun Milan at the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.
Stefano Pioli s men travelled to Turin looking to stay within touching distance of the Serie A summit, but were uncharacteristically lethargic for long periods on Sunday.
Junior Messias was gifted a goal following a bizarre mix-up at the back, but Milan failed to build on that strike late on as Torino clung on for a huge win.
Rafael Leao missed two golden chances in the first six minutes, sen…
Canada s 1-0 defeat to Belgium was statistically , according to John Herdman, a winning performance – and it is easy to see why he thinks that.
Canada attempted 22 shots, twice as many as their previous World Cup record (11 versus USSR in 1986), with their attempts worth a combined 2.6 expected goals.
Belgium s chances were worth 0.8 xG, but they crucially scored through Michy Batshuayi.
Canada still have not scored a World Cup goal from 50 shots. No team have played more finals matches (four) without ever finding the net, while only Bolivia have previously failed to register in their first five such fixtures.
Another winning performance against Croatia will count for little if they cannot end that drought.
It s those behaviours that we ll cont…
Chelsea survived a spirited late fightback by Luton to edge a dramatic match 3-2 at Kenilworth Road and end their four-game losing streak away from home.
Mauricio Pochettino’s side looked to be cruising to a first victory on the road since early November thanks to two goals from Cole Palmer – his second a sensational piece of individual skill – and one from Noni Madueke who scored for the second time in two games as the visitors took a 3-0 lead.
But that breathing room was sucked away by Luton during a frenetic final 10 minutes, when first Ross Barkley then Elijah Adebayo struck to offer their supporters hope of a spectacular recovery.
That s why they call him Cold Palmer.
— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)
Yet Chelsea held their nerve, claiming …
Zlatko Dalic confidently declared the World Cup in Qatar will not be Luka Modric s last international tournament as the Croatia head coach insisted the midfielder will strive for self-improvement .
Croatia have become accustomed to requiring extra time and penalties at FIFA s top tournament, edging past Japan with a shoot-out victory on Monday to tee up a quarter-final clash with Brazil.
Dalic s side needed penalties to defeat Denmark and Russia, then extra time against England, as they reached the final in 2018, the year in which Modric won the Ballon d Or with his efforts for club and country.
The Real Madrid veteran is now 37, yet Dalic has no doubts he can call upon the evergreen veteran past the tournament in Qatar.
This will not be Luka’s last to…
Aaron Ramsey is hoping to scale his next Euro 2024 qualifying challenge before climbing the three highest peaks of Scotland, England and Wales within 24 hours.
Wales skipper Ramsey will lead the Dragons into battle against Armenia and Turkey and then turn his attention to the National Three Peaks Challenge and ascending Ben Nevis, Scafell Pike and Yr Wyddfa on Wednesday.
The walking distance is 23 miles and total ascent 10,052 feet with a driving distance of 462 miles.
“I am fully focused on the Welsh games, but we get back and fly up to Scotland and start there first,” said Ramsey, who is embarking on the journey with 10 others to raise funds for the @its.neveryoucharity created in memory of six-year-old Hugh Menai-Davis who died from rhabdomyosarcoma in Sep…
Agent Joao Santos, who represents Jorginho, says that a new contract with Chelsea is currently a priority for the Italy international despite various rumours of interest in his services from other clubs.
The 31-year-old midfielder is reportedly of interest to Barcelona, as well as former club Napoli where he spent four years before joining Chelsea in 2018 for close to €60 million. However, Santos has dismissed rumours of Napoli interest, saying he and his client would welcome it but also making it very clear that nothing is happening on that front at the moment.
Meanwhile, Chelsea appear keen to add to their midfield ranks, reportedly showing strong interest in Benfica s World Cup star Enzo Fernandez, and Fabrizio Romano reports that they re on the verge of signing 18…