WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Messi scores stoppage-time winner in Inter Miami debut
Lionel Messi made a rousing debut for Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami as he scored a stoppage-time winner to beat Liga MX’s Cruz Azul 2-1 on Friday in their Leagues Cup opener in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Messi drew a foul about 25 yards from goal in the dying seconds and stepped up to deliver what everyone came to see as his free kick sailed into the top left corner and sent the crowd into delirium.
After the goal, Messi ran toward the right corner of the field with his arms spread wide and then headed to the sidelines on the other side where he shared a hug with his family.
“I knew I had to score, it was the last play of the game and I had to score so we didn’t’ go to penalties,” Messi said on the broadcast through a translator.
“It was very important for us to get this win because it’s a new tournament and it’s going to give us confidence moving forward.”
With four-times NBA champion LeBron James, tennis great Serena Williams and reality television star Kim Kardashian among those in the sold-out crowd, Messi entered the game as a second-half substitute to a rousing ovation with Miami ahead 1-0.
Messi was introduced as “the world’s number 10” when he came into the game in the 54th minute, slipped the captain’s armband on his left arm and sent the crowd into a frenzy whenever he touched the ball.
The seven-times Ballon d’Or winner did not take long to make his presence felt as he eluded some Cruz Azul defenders and led an attack down the right side, one of many chances he created on the night.
‘DREAM COME TRUE’
At one point, Messi ran into a Cruz Azul player in the box and fell to the ground and while his team and supporters wanted a penalty the referee immediately wagged his finger, denying the Argentine a chance at a spot kick.
The 36-year-old then set up what appeared to be the winning goal in the 89th minute but Martinez, who tapped the ball into the net, was ruled offside.
But Messi, seven months removed from leading Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar, got his chance to shine once again.
“As soon as I saw the free kick given I thought this is the way it’s meant to end,” said Inter Miami co-owner David Beckham. “It’s so exciting tonight for our fans. All of these people that have come down here to see Leo just step on the pitch, let alone just do what he’s done.
“It’s a dream come true for everybody in this stadium and everybody around this country to see Leo step into the MLS and perform and I don’t have many words for that.”
Messi’s Miami debut coincidentally came 16 years to the day after Beckham played his first game for MLS side LA Galaxy.
The euphoria over Messi’s arrival in South Florida reached a fever pitch as restaurants are offering food and drink options named after him while murals depicting his likeness have popped up all around Miami.
It has been a whirlwind week for Messi, whose arrival at MLS is a huge boost for the profile of soccer in the United States, which will co-host the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada.
Messi’s 2-1/2 year contract with Miami was made official last Saturday. A day later he was introduced to the club’s supporters at a glitzy welcome party, and on Tuesday he took part in his first full training session with the club.
Inter Miami close out the two-game group stage on Tuesday when they host Atlanta United with hopes of advancing to the knockout stages of the Leagues Cup, which is a World Cup-style tournament featuring all teams from MLS and Mexico’s Liga MX.
-Reuters
Despite wintry conditions in Blida, on the outskirts of the Algerian capital, Algiers, Nigeria’s U17 girls dug their feet into the ground on Friday night.
They achieved a scoreless draw that qualified them for this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals.
Holding on to a 4-0 first-leg advantage, the 2002 bronze medallists adopted a calm and collected pattern that easily soaked up the expected pressure from the hosts and then relied on fast breaks to try and pull the trigger on their opponents.
Although they created better chances on the night, the Flamingos failed to make dominance in possession pay, but swiftly collected the ticket to Morocco on a 4-0 aggregate win.
The difference over two legs of the final round was a remarkable display in the opening leg by the Flamingos, during which a brace by Queen Joseph and one each by Zainab Raji and substitute Aisha Animashaun ensured a 4-0 win.
The Flamingos will now be one of Africa’s five representatives (including hosts Morocco) at this year’s FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup finals taking place from 17th October – 5th November. The final competition will entertain 24 teams for the very first time.
Since the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup competition was launched in New Zealand in 2008, Nigeria have failed to make the finals only once – the 2018 tournament hosted by Uruguay.
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Despite heavy first leg loss, Algeria hopeful of a turnaround in Nigeria’s Flamingos clash
The Algeria U17 women’s national team still hope for a possible turnaround in this Friday night clash with Nigeria’s Flamingos.
Algeria lost 4-0 in the first leg match in Ikenne last Saturday.
The Algerians completed their preparations on Thursday at the Sidi Moussa National Technical Centre, the eve of the return match against Nigeria.
The return match is scheduled for this Friday at 8 p.m. at the Mustapha Tchaker Stadium in Blida. Aggregate winners will pick a ticket to the FIFA U-17 Women’s 2025 World Cup.
According to sources in Algeria, all the players took part in the final session, during which coach Abdenour Mira finalised the tactical details for the make or mar encounter.
Despite the heavy defeat conceded in the first leg (4-0), the young Algerians approach this match with the desire to finish well and deliver an honourable performance against a formidable Nigerian team.
During the technical meeting held early in the afternoon at the FAF headquarters, in the presence of representatives of the two teams and the organisers, it was decided that Algeria will play in green, while Nigeria will wear white.
The match will be officiated by Cameroonian Aline Marie Noelle Guimbang, assisted by her compatriot Laurie Marcelle Tsafack Teikeu and Chadian Victorine Ngarassoum.
The fourth official will also be Cameroonian, Innoncentia Njang Ntangti.
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WOMEN'S FOOTBALL
Under possible cold weather in Blida, Nigeria’s Flamingos set to grab World Cup ticket
The weather is most likely to be cold, but Nigeria’s U17 girls, Flamingos, are set to continue a tradition of qualifying for every edition of the FIFA U17 Women’s World Cup, which has had eight editions, out of which the Flamingos featured in seven.
Only Japan, with 100 per cent attendance, has featured in more competitions than Nigeria’s Flamingos.
They look poised to feature again after a 4-0 defeat of Algeria in the first leg of the final qualifying series.
Apart from their opponents, Algeria, they have the expected cold weather to battle with at the Stade Mustapha Tchaker in Blida (outside Algiers), on Friday night.
Friday’s encounter against their Algerian counterparts is the final leg of a final qualifying round fixture, with the Flamingos, bronze-medallists from the 2022 finals in India and quarterfinalists from the last edition in the Dominican Republic, holding on to a 4-0 first-leg advantage.
The Federation Algerienne de Football (FAF) has scheduled the match to kick off at 8 pm, at a time when the winds will begin to blow in stronger from the Mediterranean Sea.
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