International Football Thread

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

 

[ghazi52]

Salah makes Liverpool return against Brighton​

Mohamed Salah replaced the injured Joe Gomez in the 26th minute at Anfield
13 December

Mohamed Salah made his return for Liverpool in Saturday's Premier League game against Brighton.

The 33-year-old Egypt forward was named as a substitute but came on in the 26th minute following an injury to defender Joe Gomez.

Liverpool fans cheered as Salah came on.

It was his first time in a Reds squad since claiming he had been "thrown under the bus" by the club following last weekend's 3-3 draw with Leeds.

Reds boss Arne Slot only named eight substitutes instead of nine for Saturday's game.

Salah did not travel to Italy for their 1-0 Champions League win over Inter Milan.

He is due to head to the Africa Cup of Nations on Monday.
With Saudi Pro League clubs interested in signing Salah when the transfer window reopens next month, there is the possibility this could be his final game for Liverpool.

Saudi clubs have been interested in Salah for some time and Liverpool rejected a £150m offer from Al-Ittihad in the summer of 2023.

He still has 18 months left to run on the deal he signed in April.

 

[ghazi52]

PSG beat Flamengo in Intercontinental Cup​

AFP

Matvei Safonov saves four penalties to secure a 2-1 shootout win over Flamengo in Qatar

​

Man City look to extend winning streak against West Ham​

REUTERS
Guardiola's side sit two points behind Arsenal

​

Mbappe edges closer to Ronaldo record as Real survive Copa del Rey test​

REUTERS

Alonso's side scraped home 3-2 to stamp their ticket into the Spanish Cup last 16

 

[Master Chief]

View attachment 165225

Ermm no update after Monday's match?

 

[ghazi52]

Morocco beat Jordan 3-2 after extra time to clinch Arab Cup​

Morocco enjoyed another success despite missing several Europe-based players ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations.

 

[ghazi52]

Own goal hands Sudan fortunate win​

The result bought their first points of the tournament

REUTERS
December 29, 2025

Photo: REUTERS

CASABLANCA: Sudan profited from a late own goal to beat Equatorial Guinea 1-0 at the Africa Cup of Nations finals on Sunday, picking up their first points of the tournament in Morocco.

Mohamed Eisa’s free kick in the 74th minute was cleared by Equatorial Guinea’s Luis Asue but struck teammate Saul Coco and ricocheted back past the despairing dive of goalkeeper Jesus Owono.

Sudan joined Algeria and Burkina Faso, playing later on Sunday in Rabat, on three points in Group E while Equatorial Guinea, the surprise packages of the last two Nations Cups, are on the brink of elimination after successive losses.

Sudan had an early opportunity to go ahead as Eisa had a stab at a loose ball close in but the fourth-minute effort went wide.

 

[ghazi52]

Inter claim top spot in Serie A​

Lautaro Martinez scored in 1-0 victory over Atalanta

AFP
December 29, 2025

Photo: AFP

MILAN: Inter Milan stayed at the Serie A summit on Sunday after beating Atalanta 1-0 to maintain their slender lead over local rivals AC Milan.

Lautaro Martinez netted the only goal of the game in Bergamo for Inter who lead Milan, 3-0 winners against Verona thanks to Christoper Nkunku's first Serie A goals, by a single point at the top of the division.

The Argentina striker has scored in four consecutive league matches to end what has been a tricky 2025 in positive style.

"I ended last season in a lot of pain... I kept going during the Club World Cup and international duty and I had a very short summer break," said Martinez who scored 15 Serie A goals over the calendar year.

Martinez's league-leading ninth goal of the campaign decided an engaging match which could have gone either way, with both teams having chances to break the deadlock before Martinez pounced.

 

[ghazi52]

Cameroon, Ivory Coast draw mega clash​

Amad Diallo scored for a second successive game for Ivorians

REUTERS
December 29, 2025

Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo (right) controls possession against Ivory Coast’s Christ Inao Oulai during the match at Marrakesh Stadium. Photo: AFP

MARRAKECH: Defending champions Ivory Coast took a lead that lasted only five minutes before Cameroon equalised to secure a 1-1 draw in their heavyweight clash at the Africa Cup of Nations finals on Sunday.

Amad Diallo scored for a second successive game to open the scoring for the Ivorians in the 51st minute but full back Junior Tchamadeu levelled for Cameroon with the help of a deflection in the 56th minute at the Grande Stade Marrakech.

The countries, who have eight Cup of Nations titles between them, now share the lead in Group F with four points apiece, followed by Mozambique on three.

Gabon, lost 3-2 earlier on Sunday to Mozambique in Agadir, were eliminated as a result of the draw in Marrakech.

 

[ghazi52]

Spurs deliver big win for Frank​

Archie Gray scored the only goal of the game at Selhurst Park

AFP
December 29, 2025

Archie Gray's first senior goal handed Spurs victory . Photo: AFP

LONDON: Tottenham ground out a much-needed three points for the under-fire Thomas Frank with a 1-0 win at Crystal Palace, while high-flying Sunderland were held 1-1 by Leeds on Sunday.

Archie Gray was Spurs' unlikely match winner at Selhurst Park with his first senior goal as Frank's men won for just the second time in nine league games.

Richarlison had two goals disallowed for offside but Gray's header was enough for Tottenham against a Palace side running out of steam after a gruelling schedule.

The Eagles are now winless in five games as they have hit the wall from trying to stretch their limited resources across three competitions.

Oliver Glasner described his side's set-piece defending in a 4-1 defeat to Leeds last weekend as "embarrassing" and it was a dead ball that cost them once more against a Spurs team badly lacking in creativity.

 

[ghazi52]

Three talking points from the Premier League weekend​

Arsenal maintained a two-point lead over Manchester City

AFP
December 29, 2025

Ollie Watkins of Aston Villa celebrates scoring their second goal. Photo: AFP

LONDON: Ollie Watkins kept Aston Villa in the hunt for the Premier League title with an impressive win at Chelsea to leave the top three separated by just three points heading into the final Premier League games of 2025.

Arsenal maintained a two-point lead over Manchester City after they both battled to 2-1 wins against Brighton and Nottingham Forest respectively on Saturday.

On the back of an 11-game winning streak, Villa visit Arsenal next on Tuesday in a huge game in the title race.

At the other end of the table, West Ham are looking increasingly likely to join fellow strugglers Burnley and Wolves in the Championship next season.

AFP Sports looks at three talking points from the Premier League weekend:

 

[ghazi52]

Watkins adds X factor to Villa charge

Villa are enjoying their best run since 1914 to force themselves into an unexpected challenge for a first league title in 45 years.

Unai Emery's men had put themselves in that position without much of a contribution from their top scorer for the past five seasons.

Watkins had netted just three times this campaign before coming off the bench to turn the game at Stamford Bridge.

Emery revealed earlier this month that the England international has been battling knee discomfort for more than a year, but he looked back to his best inside the box to put Chelsea to the sword.

"His mentality was amazing, his commitment was amazing," said Emery.

Watkins is hoping for more to celebrate on his 30th birthday when Villa visit the Emirates, aiming to move level on points with title favourites Arsenal.

If this does prove to be a turning point in his season then Villa truly can dream about ending a 30-year wait to win any trophy.

"I haven't been where I wanted to be. But look I can use this as a marker now and and push on from here," said Watkins.

 

[ghazi52]

Pressure mounts on Maresca

Just a month ago, Chelsea were Arsenal's closest challengers before the two sides met at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues have won just once in six league games since to tumble out of the title race and down to fifth.

Enzo Maresca took the chance after his only victory in that run -- 2-0 over Everton earlier this month -- to complain about a lack of support inside the club for him and his players.

But the Italian is beginning to exhaust the patience of many Chelsea fans.

Maresca has credit in the bank after winning the Conference League and Club World Cup in his debut season.

But playing long into the summer in sapping conditions to become world champions is beginning to take its toll.

Maresca could only watch from the stands, serving a touchline ban, as his side failed to capitalise on a dominant first half before crumbling once Villa clicked into gear in the second half.

Emery's ability to change the game also did little favours for the former Leicester boss.

Watkins labelled his manager a "tactical genius" for a triple substitution and change of shape that turned the tide Villa's way.

Maresca attempted to respond but his own triple change had no positive impact and his next decision to withdraw Cole Palmer drew an angry response from the England international.

 

[ghazi52]

West Ham woe

The Hammers are in desperate trouble after a 1-0 home defeat to Fulham left them five points adrift of safety.

Nuno Espirito Santo's arrival in east London inspired a run of eight points from his first seven games, but West Ham have taken just two from the last 18 available.

Meanwhile, Leeds and Forest have found far better form to pull away from the bottom three.

"We can spend hours and hours talking about all the aspects, but basically when you don't score, the situation that we are in, everything bad happens to us," said Nuno.