United News of Bangladesh

Barcelona returned to winning ways with a commanding 6–1 victory over Olympiacos, but their celebration was marred by a controversial red-card decision that drew frustration from players and fans alike. Fermín López led the Catalans with a hat-trick, Marcus Rashford added a brace, and teenager Lamine Yamal converted a penalty in the emphatic win. Missing key players including Raphinha, Robert Lewandowski, Dani Olmo, Gavi and goalkeeper Joan García, Hansi Flick handed a rare start to young striker Dro Fernández. The new-look Barça attack pressed high from the begining and grabbed an early lead through a combination of Yamal’s sharp run and Fermín’s precise finish. In the sixth minute, Yamal sliced through the Olympiacos defence from the right flank and sent a low ball into the box, where Fermín fired home through a crowded defence. Rashford nearly doubled the lead with a free kick from just outside the box in the 11th minute, missing by inches.

Kylian Mbappe’s second-half strike secured Real Madrid a hard-fought 1–0 victory over nine-man Getafe on Sunday night, restoring Los Blancos to the top of La Liga after a dramatic clash at the Coliseum. The match turned chaotic in the final quarter-hour when Getafe saw two players sent off within seven minutes. Substitute Allan Nyom was dismissed less than a minute after coming on for elbowing Vinicius Junior. Shortly after, Mbappe broke the deadlock, finishing clinically through the goalkeeper’s gloves after racing onto a precise through ball from Arda Güler. Getafe’s woes deepened in the 84th minute when Álex Sáncris picked up a second yellow card and was also sent off. Real Madrid were far from their fluent best in the first half, struggling to convert possession into clear chances. They grew stronger after halftime, ultimately producing 23 attempts on goal — 10 on target — while limiting Getafe to just one shot on goal. Mbappe had several early opportunities, including an angled strike in the 8th minute and a long-range shot moments later, both denied by the Getafe keeper. David Alaba also came close with a curling free-kick just before halftime. Manchester United stun Liverpool at Anfield Manager Xabi Alonso’s introduction of Vinicius Junior in the second half added energy to the attack, and the breakthrough finally arrived after Nyom’s reckless foul left Getafe a man short. Despite being reduced to nine men, the hosts nearly stole a late equalizer when Abou Kamara found space in stoppage time, but Thibaut Courtois came off his line to make a crucial save and preserve Madrid’s lead. With eight wins from nine matches, Real Madrid climbed back to the top of the table with 24 points, two ahead of Barcelona, who sit on 22. The two giants will face off next Sunday at the Santiago Bernabéu in the season’s first El Clásico — a match that could prove pivotal in the title race.

Struggling Manchester United surprised Premier League fans with a spectacular 2-1 win away from home over reigning champions Liverpool at Anfield. Harry Maguire’s late header secured United’s first victory at the ground in almost a decade. It was also the first time United have won back-to-back league games under Ruben Amorim. The last time they triumphed at Anfield was in January 2016. Liverpool, meanwhile, have now lost four games in a row in all competitions for the first time since November 2014. United took just 62 seconds to go ahead in the game — the quickest Premier League goal at Anfield between these two sides — when Amad Diallo’s diagonal pass found Bryan Mbeumo, who beat Liverpool’s goalkeeper to give his side an early lead. Arne Slot’s men piled pressure on the visitors after conceding but were unable to find an equaliser before the break. They kept up the intensity after the restart, and Cody Gakpo brought Liverpool level in the 78th minute with a close-range tap-in. However, United were in no mood to settle for a point. Led by captain Bruno Fernandes, they pushed forward again, and Maguire scored the winning goal just six minutes later. Liverpool were a bit unlucky, creating numerous chances to score, but failing to convert any. Gakpo could have earned a penalty in the 18th minute when his volley struck Diallo’s hand and deflected wide, but referee Michael Oliver decided not to award a spot-kick. Gakpo also hit the crossbar three times, including once in stoppage time when Liverpool came close to equalising again. With this victory, United climbed to ninth place with 13 points from eight matches, while Liverpool missed the chance to close the gap on leaders Arsenal, who top the table with 19 points from the same number of games. The Reds sit fourth with 15 points, having won five of their eight league matches. Liverpool will visit Frankfurt on Wednesday to face Eintracht in the Champions League before returning to league action away at Brentford next Saturday. United’s next game is at home to Brighton on Saturday. Brighton have won their last three games at Old Trafford. So, that will be another test for the Red Devils — one they will be eager to overcome to continue their progress.

Lionel Messi capped a stellar MLS regular season by winning the Golden Boot, scoring a hat trick in Inter Miami’s 5-2 victory over Nashville on Saturday. The Argentine superstar finished with 29 goals, leaving no doubt about his dominant campaign. Inter Miami secured third place in the Eastern Conference and will face sixth-seeded Nashville in a best-of-three opening-round playoff series starting Friday. Decision Day, the league’s final regular-season day, saw simultaneous matches determining playoff seedings. Philadelphia Union had already clinched the East’s top spot and the Supporters’ Shield, earning home-field advantage throughout the playoffs and a place in the 2026 CONCACAF Champions Cup. They will play the winner of Wednesday’s wild-card match between Chicago Fire and Orlando City. Late winner saves Barça, but Flick’s red card a headache before El Clásico In the East, second-seeded Cincinnati meets seventh-seeded Columbus, while fourth-seeded Charlotte faces fifth-seeded NYCFC. In the West, San Diego claimed the top seed with a 4-0 win over Portland and will face the winner of Portland vs. Real Salt Lake. Other matchups: second-seeded Vancouver vs. seventh-seeded Dallas, third-seeded LAFC vs. sixth-seeded Austin, and fourth-seeded Minnesota vs. fifth-seeded Seattle. D.C. United finished last with 26 points, earning the league’s unofficial Wooden Spoon. Source: AP 

Ronald Araujo struck a dramatic stoppage-time winner as Barcelona edged Girona 2–1 in La Liga on Saturday, but head coach Hansi Flick’s red card late in the match cast a shadow over the victory ahead of next week’s El Clasico. The match appeared to be heading for a draw when Araujo, who came on in the 82nd minute, slid in to convert a cut-back from Frenkie de Jong in the third minute of added time. The defender ripped off his shirt in celebration as the home crowd erupted at the Olympic Stadium. Earlier, Pedri had given Barcelona the lead in the 13th minute with a fine low finish after combining with Lamine Yamal. Girona levelled in the 20th minute through Belgian midfielder Alex Witsel, who found the net with a spectacular bicycle kick following a corner. Messi breaks another record in international football Barcelona dominated possession, enjoying 68 percent of the ball and registering 27 shots, nine of them on target. Girona had 11 attempts, with four on goal. Despite creating several chances in the second half, the hosts were repeatedly denied by the Girona goalkeeper until Araujo’s late winner. The victory ended Barcelona’s run of two straight defeats in all competitions, including losses to PSG in the Champions League and Sevilla in La Liga before the international break. With the win, the defending champions moved one point clear at the top with 22 points from nine matches. Real Madrid, second with 21 points from a game in hand, can regain the lead if they beat Getafe on Sunday. Ronaldo breaks new record as Hungary hold Portugal in WC qualifier However, Barcelona’s celebrations were slightly dampened as head coach Flick received a second yellow card for dissent just before Araujo’s goal, ruling him out of the season’s first El Clásico against Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabéu.

FIFA announced Thursday that more than one million tickets for the 2026 World Cup have already been sold, marking a strong start to sales for the first-ever edition jointly hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. The highest demand came from fans in the host countries, followed by supporters from England, Germany, Brazil, Spain, Colombia, Argentina, and France, according to FIFA. Fans from 212 countries and territories have already purchased tickets, even though only 28 of the 48 teams have qualified so far. The tournament will run from June 11 to July 19, 2026. FIFA President Gianni Infantino hailed the early enthusiasm, saying the massive response shows how the “biggest and most inclusive World Cup in history” has captured global imagination. Tickets for the final match in East Rutherford, New Jersey, were listed on FIFA’s resale platform at prices ranging from $9,538 to $57,500 per seat. FIFA has not yet released a detailed price list or match-by-match breakdown. The announcement followed comments from U.S. President Donald Trump, who suggested he might reconsider venues deemed “unsafe,” including sites near Boston. The first batch of buyers was selected through a lottery among 4.5 million applicants. FIFA said the next sales phase opens on October 27, offering both single-match and team-specific tickets. In total, there are about 7.1 million seats available across 104 matches in 16 venues. The cheapest tickets start at $60, while premium seats and dynamic pricing are driving costs much higher — with one resale ticket for the U.S. opening match listed at over $61,000. South Africa qualifies for 2026 FIFA World Cup FIFA plans two more sales phases before the final draw in December determines the full tournament schedule. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Lakers star Luka Doncic has been named an official ambassador for the Los Angeles matches. A lifelong football fan, Doncic said he’s honored to help “bring people together through a sport that unites cultures worldwide.” Source: AP

South Africa sealed qualification for the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a commanding 3-0 win over Rwanda at Mbombela Stadium in Mpumalanga Province on Tuesday night. Goals from Thalente Mbatha, Oswin Appollis and Evidence Makgopa secured the victory, sending South Africa back to football's biggest stage for the first time since hosting the tournament in 2010. Coached by Belgian Hugo Broos, the team topped Group C with 18 points from 10 matches, finishing ahead of continental rivals Nigeria and surprise contender Benin. This marks South Africa's fourth World Cup appearance, following previous qualifications in 1998 and 2002, in addition to their automatic berth as hosts in 2010. South African Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie congratulated the team, saying their qualification had "filled a nation with joy." He lauded the players for showing "heart, discipline and determination," describing the achievement as "a powerful statement about what is possible when South Africans believe, unite and fight together." McKenzie also praised coach Broos, his staff and the South African Football Association (SAFA) for "delivering on the biggest of all expectations."  

Nearing the twilight of their legendary careers, Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, the two GOATs of football, continue to rewrite history, keeping their fans enthralled around the world. Last night Ronaldo became the all-time top scorer in World Cup qualifiers. Messi didn’t take much time to appear on the headlines, breaking the record for most assists in international football. Messi had missed Argentina’s earlier match against Venezuela, instead featuring for Inter Miami in their Major League Soccer clash with Atlanta United. The 2022 FIFA World Cup winner returned on Tuesday night against Puerto Rico, inspiring Argentina to a resounding 6–0 victory. The Argentine captain provided two brilliant assists, taking his international tally to 60 assists, the highest ever in men’s international football, surpassing his former Barcelona and PSG teammate Neymar’s record of 59. With this feat, Messi also edges closer to another milestone— 400 career assists across all competitions. Not only is Messi first in assists, he is also second in all time international goals (114), just behind Cristiano Ronaldo (143). In addition to leading the world in assists, Messi now stands second in all-time international goals (114), just behind Ronaldo’s 143. This rare combination of scoring and creating underlines what makes Messi a complete player—an embodiment of both brilliance and balance. Earlier on Tuesday, Ronaldo became the all-time top scorer in World Cup qualifying history with 40 goals. He even extended his own record by scoring again against Hungary. However, the Al Nassr forward ended the match in frustration, as Dominik Szoboszlai’s stoppage-time equaliser denied Portugal an early ticket to the World Cup. A draw against Ireland in November would be enough for Portugal to heave a sigh of relief, as they remain top of Group F with 10 points from four matches, followed by Hungary on five. Ireland climbed to third with four points after beating 10-man Armenia 1–0, who stay bottom with three. Meanwhile, Argentina have already booked their place topping the CONMEBOL standings, continuing their dominant run in South America’s qualifiers.

President Donald Trump on Tuesday threatened to relocate World Cup matches set to be played next year in suburban Boston, after suggesting that parts of the city had been “taken over” by unrest. Foxborough, Massachusetts, home to the NFL's New England Patriots and about 30 miles from Boston, is set to stage matches as the U.S. cohosts the 2026 World Cup with Mexico and Canada. Trump was asked about Boston's mayor, Michelle Wu, a Democrat whom he called “intelligent” but "radical left.” “We could take them away,” Trump said of the World Cup games. “I love the people of Boston and I know the games are sold out. But your mayor is not good.” He suggested “they're taking over parts of Boston" without offering details, but added “we could get them back in about two seconds.” The Trump administration has already deployed National Guard troops to Washington and Memphis, and efforts to do so in Chicago and Portland, Oregon, have sparked legal fights. Wu's office did not react directly to Trump's threat, issuing a statement that read, “Boston is honored and excited to host World Cup matches, and we look forward to welcoming fans from around the world to our beautiful city, the cradle of liberty and city of champions.” Trump's comments came during his meeting with Argentina President Javier Milei and it wasn't immediately clear what he was referring to by parts of Boston having been seized. Earlier this month, however, there were multiple arrests in connection with a pro-Palestinian protest that turned violent on Boston Common. Four police officers were injured. Trump has previously suggested he could declare cities “not safe” for the 104-game soccer tournament and alter a detailed hosting plan that FIFA confirmed in 2022. It includes games at NFL stadiums near New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco. World Cup host sites aren't up to Trump. The 11 U.S. cities — plus three in Mexico and two in Canada — are contracted with FIFA, which would face significant logistical and legal issues to make changes in the eight months before the June 11 kickoff. “It’s FIFA’s tournament, FIFA’s jurisdiction, FIFA makes those decisions,” the soccer body’s vice president Victor Montagliani said earlier this month at a sports business conference in London. Trump nonetheless said, “If somebody is doing a bad job, and if I feel there’s unsafe conditions, I would call Gianni – the head of FIFA who’s phenomenal -- and I would say, ‘Let’s move into another location’ and they would do that.” The president meant FIFA head Gianni Infantino, a close ally. Trump said Infantino “wouldn’t love to do it, but he’d do it very easily.”  

Portugal were denied an early ticket to the World Cup after Dominik Szoboszlai’s stoppage-time goal earned Hungary a 2–2 draw in their Group F qualifier in Lisbon on Tuesday, despite another record-setting night for Cristiano Ronaldo. Attila Szalai gave Hungary the lead early on, but Ronaldo struck twice before halftime to put Portugal in front. However, Szoboszlai slid in at the far post in added time to snatch a dramatic point for the visitors. Ronaldo’s first goal made him the all-time top scorer in World Cup qualifying history with 40 goals, one ahead of Guatemala’s Carlos Ruiz. The Portuguese captain now boasts 143 international goals in 225 appearances — both world records. Portugal dominated the opening stages, with Ronaldo missing narrowly in the fifth minute before Diogo Costa denied Roland Sallai. From the ensuing corner, Szalai headed home to give Hungary a surprise lead. Bangladesh’s Asia Cup dream almost over with 1-1 draw against Hong Kong Ronaldo equalised in the 22nd minute, converting Nélson Semedo’s low cross, and headed in again in first-half stoppage time from Nuno Mendes’ delivery to make it 2–1 at the break. After halftime, Portugal squandered several chances to seal victory. Semedo’s shot was kept out, while Rúben Dias and Bruno Fernandes were both denied by the woodwork and the goalkeeper. Substitute João Félix also went close with a header. Hungary continued to press late on, and Szoboszlai’s last-minute finish from Dániel Lukács’s cross ensured a share of the spoils. Portugal remain top of Group F with 10 points from four matches, followed by Hungary on five. Ireland climbed to third with four points after beating 10-man Armenia 1–0, who stay bottom with three. Messi scores twice, assists once as Inter Miami crush Atlanta United 4-0 In Group I, Italy secured at least second place with a 3–0 win over Israel, taking their tally to 15 points from six games — three behind leaders Norway, who have a perfect 18 points and a +26 goal difference compared to Italy’s +10. Gennaro Gattuso’s side must win big in their final match to overtake them.