Sports
Neymar breaks Pele’s Brazil goal-scoring record
Neymar breaks Pele’s Brazil goal-scoring record
Neymar Santos Júnior has surpassed Pele as Brazil’s all-time top scorer with two second-half goals in a 5-1 win over Bolivia in South America’s 2026 World Cup qualifiers on Friday.
The 31-year-old striker went into the game level with Pele on 77 goals and had a golden opportunity to break the record in the 17th minute when Brazil were awarded a penalty.
But he looked distraught after his soft spot-kick was easily saved by Bolivia keeper Guillermo Viscarra to keep the scores goalless.
Seven minutes later, Brazil got in front when Rodrygo reacted quickly to slot home after a shot from Raphinha was parried out by Viscarra.
Brazil doubled their lead just after the break when Raphinha cut in from the left and his low shot took a slight deflection as it flew into the bottom corner.
Neymar had a hand in Brazil’s third, with a clever chipped pass that was flicked on by Bruno Guimaraes into the path of Rodrygo who confidently drilled home.
Then came Neymar’s moment to enter the history books as he pounced on a loose ball inside the box and tucked away his 78th goal in his 125th game for his country – raising his hands and his gaze to the skies.
Victor Abrego pulled a goal back for Bolivia, bustling through a disorganized Brazil backline before blasting an unstoppable shot past Ederson.
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But there was still time for Neymar to extend his record tally, connecting with a low ball from Raphinha in stoppage time to complete the victory and a memorable night for the forward.
The 31-year-old former Barcelona striker recently moved from Paris Saint-Germain to Saudi Arabian club Al Hilal.
Pele, who died in December aged 82, scored 77 goals for Brazil in 92 appearances between 1957 and 1971.
The win was the perfect start for new coach Fernando Diniz, who took over from predecessor Tite in the wake of the Selecao’s World Cup quarter-final exit last year.
Diniz paid tribute to Neymar, whose role in the squad has been under scrutiny.
“Many did not know what he would come to do, and he came to do what he did: have fun, score two goals and break the record,” he said.
“He is a very big idol, people must recognize him and accept him,” he added.
– Uruguay turn on style –
In Friday’s other game, Uruguay turned on the style, under new coach Marcelo Bielsa, as they beat Chile 3-1.
Argentine Bielsa, who had previously coached Chile between 2007 and 2011, opted for a youthful line-up without veteran strikers Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez.
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Bielsa was rewarded with an entertaining display from his new charges with River Plate attacking midfielder Nicolas de la Cruz scoring twice.
De la Cruz opened the scoring with a fine left-foot strike in the 38th minute before Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde doubled the advantage on the stroke of half-time.
De la Cruz broke down the left before switching to Valverde, who made space before burying a shot into the far bottom corner.
The third goal, in the 71st minute, came after a fast break down the left with Liverpool striker Darwin Nunez pulling the ball back into the path of De la Cruz who made no mistake from close range.
Chile pulled a goal back three minutes later with Arturo Vidal scrambling the ball home after a Diego Valdes header came out off the bar.
Bielsa was delighted with the display from his new charges.
“I like the style of the Uruguayan players,” he said, “The style of play is imposed by individuals not the coach. The first ten minutes were not good but then we progressively generated goal opportunities and wore down the opponent,” he added.
The qualification process for the expanded 48-team World Cup, to be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico in 2026, offers two extra places for South America with six teams qualifying directly.
The seventh out of the 10 nations will head to an inter-continental play-off.
The opening games on Thursday saw Argentina beat Ecuador 1-0 with a goal from Lionel Messi while Peru drew 0-0 at Paraguay and Colombia beat Venezuela 1-0.
AFP
Sports
Man United, Bournemouth Share Eight-Goal Premier League Thriller in Old Trafford Classic
Man United, Bournemouth Share Eight-Goal Premier League Thriller in Old Trafford Classic
Manchester United and Bournemouth served up one of the most dramatic games of the Premier League season as both sides surrendered leads and mounted comebacks before settling for a pulsating 4-4 draw at Old Trafford.
United went into the break with a 2-1 lead, but their advantage vanished within seven minutes of the restart as Evanilson and Marcus Tavernier struck to swing the contest in Bournemouth’s favour. The momentum shifted again when Bruno Fernandes curled home a superb free-kick, quickly followed by Matheus Cunha’s finish, turning the match on its head for a second time.
Just when United appeared set to claim victory, 19-year-old Eli Junior Kroupi smashed in a late equaliser six minutes from time to earn Bournemouth a deserved point in a breathless encounter.
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Amid the chaos, Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim was rewarded for tactical adjustments, pushing Amad Diallo into a more advanced role. The move paid off early, with the Ivorian heading home from close range after 13 minutes following a blistering United start that saw them register six shots in the opening 10 minutes—their fastest in a league game since October 2022.
The match lived up to its billing, with both teams combining for 38 shots in a relentless end-to-end contest. Casemiro received a yellow card that rules him out of Sunday’s clash with Aston Villa, while late stoppage-time efforts from David Brooks forced sharp reaction saves from Senne Lammens to deny Bournemouth a famous win.
The draw proved costly for Manchester United, who slipped out of the Premier League top five, while 13th-placed Bournemouth extended their winless run to seven matches, despite an impressive attacking display in one of the season’s standout fixtures.
Man United, Bournemouth Share Eight-Goal Premier League Thriller in Old Trafford Classic
Sports
Nigeria, Egypt Renew AFCON Rivalry in Cairo Friendly Ahead of Morocco 2025 Showpiece
Nigeria, Egypt Renew AFCON Rivalry in Cairo Friendly Ahead of Morocco 2025 Showpiece
Three-time champions Nigeria and seven-time title holders Egypt will reignite their historic Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) rivalry tonight as both teams clash in a high-profile international friendly match at the Cairo Stadium, serving as final preparations for the 35th AFCON finals in Morocco kicking off on Sunday.
The encounter offers both coaches the chance to assess squad depth and blood new faces ahead of the continental showpiece. Super Eagles coach Eric Sékou Chelle is expected to test several newcomers, including goalkeeper Amas Obasogie, defender Ryan Alebiosu, midfielders Usman Muhammed, Tochukwu Nnadi and Ebenezer Akinsanmiro, as well as forwards Paul Onuachu and Salim Fago Lawal.
On the opposite bench, Pharaohs coach Hossam Hassan, an AFCON legend who scored seven goals in Egypt’s victorious 1998 AFCON campaign in Burkina Faso, is likely to shape his strategy around Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, who remains in pursuit of his first AFCON title despite a glittering club career.
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Egypt’s squad also features Manchester City forward Omar Marmoush, Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy, Mohamed Hany, Yasser Ibrahim, Emam Ashour, and Mahmoud Trezeguet, alongside CAF Champions League winners Pyramids FC duo Mohamed Hamdy and Mostafa Fathi, UAE-based Ibrahim Adel, and FC Nantes striker Mostafa Mohamed.
For Nigeria, Chelle is expected to rely on established stars such as goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali, defenders Bright Osayi-Samuel, Semi Ajayi, Calvin Bassey and Zaidu Sanusi, midfield enforcers Wilfred Ndidi, Frank Onyeka and Alex Iwobi, and an attacking trio of Samuel Chukwueze, Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.
The highly anticipated Nigeria vs Egypt friendly will kick off at 8pm Egypt time (7pm Nigeria time), providing fans with a tantalising preview of what to expect when Africa’s giants collide at AFCON Morocco 2025.
Nigeria, Egypt Renew AFCON Rivalry in Cairo Friendly Ahead of Morocco 2025 Showpiece
Sports
Premier League: Arsenal Beat Wolves 2-1 in Thrilling Stoppage-Time Finish
Premier League: Arsenal Beat Wolves 2-1 in Thrilling Stoppage-Time Finish
Yerson Mosquera’s stoppage-time own goal handed Premier League leaders Arsenal a dramatic 2-1 victory over bottom-of-the-table Wolves at Emirates Stadium on Saturday.
The Gunners struggled to break down a resilient five-man Wolves defence, taking until the 70th minute to open the scoring. Bukayo Saka curled in a corner that goalkeeper Sam Johnstone pushed onto the post, with the ball rebounding off the keeper’s back to put Arsenal ahead.
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Wolves responded late, sending multiple crosses into the box before Mateus Mane found Tolu Arokodare, who headed home in the 90th minute to level the score and send fans into panic.
However, Saka delivered the decisive moment, cutting in from the right and curling a cross towards substitute Gabriel Jesus, only for Mosquera to inadvertently head the ball past his own keeper in stoppage time, giving Arsenal the victory and sending the home crowd into jubilation.
Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta described the game as a “rollercoaster,” praising his side’s resilience while acknowledging areas for improvement. The victory came despite the early withdrawal of Ben White with a hamstring injury.
The thrilling win extends Arsenal’s lead at the top of the Premier League table to five points over Manchester City, as they prepare for a challenging trip to Everton next week.
Premier League: Arsenal Beat Wolves 2-1 in Thrilling Stoppage-Time Finish
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