United News of Bangladesh

Lionel Messi struck twice and set up another goal as Inter Miami thrashed Atlanta United 4-0 on Saturday night, securing home-field advantage for the first round of the MLS playoffs. Messi opened the scoring in the 39th minute, slotting home from a Baltasar Rodríguez pass to give Miami (18-7-8) a 1-0 halftime lead. Veteran defender Jordi Alba, who recently announced his retirement at the end of the season, doubled the lead seven minutes into the second half with his sixth goal for the club. The 36-year-old, who has registered 11 goals and 27 assists in 64 appearances for Miami, was honored with a post-match ceremony marking his final regular-season home appearance. Messi provided the assist on Alba’s goal — his 18th of the season — tying him with Anders Dreyer of San Diego FC for the league lead. Balogun strikes again as USA hold Ecuador to 1-1 draw in friendly Luis Suárez made it 3-0 in the 61st minute with an unassisted strike, his 10th goal of the season to go with 10 assists. Messi sealed the emphatic win in the 81st minute, finishing from an Alba assist to claim his league-leading 26th goal of the campaign. He now leads 2023 Golden Boot winner Denis Bouanga of Los Angeles FC by two goals and Nashville SC’s Sam Surridge by three, with one match remaining in the regular season. The Argentine star’s 44 goal contributions (26 goals, 18 assists) are the second-highest in a single MLS season, behind only LAFC’s Carlos Vela, who recorded 49 in 2019. Goalkeeper Rocco Ríos Novo made three saves in his sixth start of the season to secure his third clean sheet. For Atlanta United (5-16-12), Jayden Hibbert, 21, recorded six saves in his eighth career start, including three crucial stops against Messi in the opening 21 minutes to keep the score level early on. Inter Miami and FC Cincinnati are now tied on 62 points, battling for second place in the Eastern Conference. Miami will wrap up the regular season on Saturday with a Decision Day fixture against Nashville SC, while Atlanta will host D.C. United in a fight to avoid finishing bottom of the conference. Source: AP

A Mexican judge on Friday ordered former national footballer Omar Bravo to stand trial on charges of sexually abusing a teenage girl. Bravo, 45, who represented Mexico in the 2006 World Cup and the 2004 Olympics, was arrested last Sunday in Zapopan, a suburb of Guadalajara, one of Mexico’s largest cities. According to prosecutors, Bravo allegedly abused the 17-year-old daughter of his girlfriend over a period of six years. If found guilty, the former striker could face a prison sentence ranging from five to 10 years. Due to the seriousness of the allegations, the judge ruled that Bravo must remain in custody for at least six months while the trial proceeds. In Mexico, pretrial detention is imposed when the accused is deemed a potential threat to society or to the judicial process. “For crimes of this nature, the law mandates such preventive measures. Six months is an estimated period, but if the trial extends, so will his detention,” said the victim’s lawyer, Juan Soltero. The prosecution presented 42 screenshots of messages allegedly exchanged between Bravo and the girl, along with a video recording. Bravo, who retired in 2018, played 66 matches for the Mexican national team and scored 15 goals. He remains Chivas’ all-time top scorer, one of Mexico’s most popular football clubs.

Kylian Mbappe will be absent for Monday’s World Cup qualifier in Iceland, where France could secure their spot in the 2026 tournament, after suffering another knock to his already sore right ankle, the French team confirmed. Mbappe, who was already managing a “small niggle” in his right ankle from playing for Real Madrid, sustained two hits during Friday’s 3-0 World Cup qualifying victory over Azerbaijan in Paris. He opened the scoring but was substituted before the match ended. The France captain’s unavailability adds to the growing list of forwards missing for October’s qualifiers, which includes Ousmane Dembele, Desire Doue, Marcus Thuram, and Bradley Barcola. Mbappe “will not be able to play Monday against Iceland,” a French Football Federation (FFF) statement said. After returning to the Clairefontaine training ground on Friday night, “the French team captain spoke with (coach) Didier Deschamps,” who “acknowledged his absence.” Mbappe “has been released to his club (Real Madrid) and will not be replaced,” the FFF added. The French star had already skipped training with Les Bleus earlier in the week due to the same issue. Mbappe scored just before halftime but was then hit by a tackle from Rustam Ahmedzade and took another knock to the same ankle late in the game, leading to his substitution by Florian Thauvin. “He has a sore ankle and he took a knock there. He preferred to come off; the pain was quite significant,” Deschamps said after the win. Adrien Rabiot and substitute Thauvin also scored as Deschamps’s side remain unbeaten after three games and sit atop Group D. Les Bleus can confirm their place in next year’s United States, Canada, and Mexico World Cup if they win in Iceland on Monday and Ukraine fail to defeat Azerbaijan. With inputs from Al Jazeera

Folarin Balogun’s 71st-minute strike earned the United States a 1-1 draw against Ecuador in an international friendly on Friday night, cancelling out Enner Valencia’s first-half opener. Balogun, who also scored in the previous game, netted his seventh goal in 20 international appearances. The equalizer came after Tim Weah intercepted a clearance and found Tanner Tessmann, who played the ball wide to Malik Tillman. Tillman’s low cross found Balogun, who slipped in front of Joel Ordóñez and redirected the ball off the inside of the near post from close range. Ranked 16th in the world, the U.S. have now managed just one win in their last nine matches against top-25 opponents — a 2-0 victory last month over a second-string Japan side. “It’s good to build momentum,” Balogun said after the match. “We’re disappointed not to win, but I think we were the better side and there are a lot of positives to take forward.” The U.S., who enjoyed 66% possession and outshot Ecuador 11–8, next face Australia on Tuesday in Colorado. They will then meet Paraguay and Uruguay next month before coach Mauricio Pochettino finalizes his pre-World Cup training camp squad. “We need to be more clinical with our final passes in the attacking third,” Pochettino said. Goalkeeper Hernán Galíndez denied Balogun early with a diving save and pushed Chris Richards’ attempt onto the post in the 26th minute. “I felt like we dominated,” said midfielder Weston McKennie. “We just need to carry this confidence forward — keep rotating, moving the ball, and staying dangerous.” Ecuador, ranked 24th, extended their national record unbeaten run to 12 games, including seven draws. Valencia gave La Tri the lead in the 24th minute, running onto Jordy Alcívar’s through ball and slotting past Matt Freese for his 48th international goal — the most in Ecuador’s history. Star forward Christian Pulisic came on in the 73rd minute after being rested due to a sore ankle. Veteran defender Tim Ream, who turned 38 earlier this week, became the fourth outfield player in U.S. history to appear at that age or older. Left back Antonee Robinson, still recovering from knee surgery, and forward Alex Zendejas were both unavailable. Pochettino said Zendejas will return to Club América in Mexico for further treatment on a knee injury. Ecuador will next face Mexico on Tuesday. Source: AP

England coach Thomas Tuchel expressed disappointment with his team’s fans after their 3-0 friendly win over Wales on Thursday, saying the support at Wembley Stadium was “silent.” England scored all three goals within the first 20 minutes through Morgan Rogers, Ollie Watkins, and Bukayo Saka, but failed to capitalize on their early dominance. Tuchel felt the crowd did not match the team’s effort. “We couldn’t score the fourth one or the fifth one — the stadium was silent. Silent,” Tuchel said. “We never got any energy back from the fans, and I think the players delivered a lot to get more from the stands.” When asked if he expected more from the supporters, the German coach added: “Yes. What more can you give than 20 minutes, three goals, and the way we attacked Wales? If you then hear for half an hour just the Wales fans, it’s a bit sad because I think the team deserved big support today.”

Bangladesh suffered a heartbreaking 4-3 defeat to Hong Kong, China in a dramatic, seven-goal AFC Asian Cup Qualifiers third-round match at the National Stadium on Thursday. The result that all but nearly ended their hopes of progressing to the main event. Javier Cabrera made his starting lineup, sidelining key players like Shamit Shome and captain Jamal Bhuiyan, and the team put up a spirited performance in front of home supporters. The match turned lively from the start with both sides engaging in a series of attacks and counterattacks. Hong Kong created the first real chance in the 6th minute when Matt Orr broke through the Bangladesh defense on the left flank, but his shot narrowly missed the post. Three minutes later, Rakib Hossain tried his luck from outside the box, but his strike was comfortably collected by the goalkeeper. In the 13th minute, the home crowd erupted in celebration as Bangladesh took the lead. Hamza Choudhury’s curling right-footed free-kick deflected off a defender’s head and looped over the goalkeeper into the net. It was the Leicester City midfielder’s second goal for Bangladesh, his first coming in a friendly against Bhutan last June. Taking the early lead, Cabrera’s men pressed for more. In the 26th minute, Rakib sent in a dangerous cross, but Faisal Ahmed Fahim narrowly failed to make contact with his head. Hong Kong pushed back and almost found the equaliser in the 39th minute, as Everton Camargo’s effort drifted wide of the far post. However, Hong Kong managed to level the score in stoppage time of the first half. From a corner, the ball rebounded to Everton just outside the six-yard box, and the forward calmly slotted past Mitul Marma to make it 1-1 going into halftime. The visitors came out stronger in the second half and took the lead in the 50th minute after a blunder by Mohammad Sohel Rana. Attempting a back pass to goalkeeper Mitul from outside the box, Sohel’s effort lacked power, allowing Raphaël Merkies to intercept, round the keeper, and tap into an empty net to put Hong Kong 2-1 ahead. Two minutes later, Hong Kong almost doubled their lead, but Mitul reacted sharply to prevent further damage. Captain Jamal Bhuiyan came off the bench after the hour mark, bringing more control to Bangladesh’s midfield. But their improved organisation wasn’t enough to stop Hong Kong from scoring a third in the 74th minute. Morsalin lost possession near midfield, and the ball was quickly lobbed forward to Everton on the right flank. He advanced unchallenged and cut the ball across the goalmouth for Merkies, who finished clinically past Mitul to make it 3-1.  

Bangladesh face Hong Kong China on Thursday night in a must-win clash that will decide their fate in the 2027 AFC Asian Cup qualifiers. The match kicks off at 8 pm (Dhaka time) at the National Stadium in Dhaka. For Jamal Bhuiyan’s team, it’s the last chance to keep alive a 45-year wait to return to Asia’s top football stage. Currently, Bangladesh sit at the bottom of their four-team group with just one point from two matches.  Hong Kong lead with four points and will confirm their place in the next round with a win. Leicester City midfielder Hamza Choudhury remains the biggest attraction for the home side. Since joining the team, his presence has lifted the players and fans alike.  Hamza said earlier this week — “We’ll win.” Coach Javier Cabrera said the players are ready for the challenge. “Hong Kong are a strong team, but we know their strengths and weaknesses. The crowd will push us forward,” he told reporters on Tuesday. Bangladesh’s midfield looks strong with Canada-born Shamit Som and Italy-raised Fahmidul Islam, but there are fitness concerns in defence and attack. Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) said all 19,000 tickets were sold within half an hour. The federation has also promised tighter security after chaos during June’s match against Singapore when fans broke into the stands. Bangladesh have never beaten Hong Kong in four meetings. The last time the two sides met, Hong Kong won comfortably.

France coach Didier Deschamps is closely monitoring Kylian Mbappé’s ankle injury ahead of upcoming World Cup qualifying matches. Mbappé left the field limping during Real Madrid’s 3-1 win over Villarreal on Saturday. He fell after scoring his team’s third goal and clutched his right ankle, walking off slowly but without assistance. “I don’t have any further information at the moment. An update will be given as usual, regardless of the player or the club he comes from,” Deschamps said Monday. “I have spoken with him. He had a small problem, but it’s not serious; otherwise, he wouldn’t be here today. We’ll take the time with the medical staff and see how it progresses.” France will host Azerbaijan at Parc des Princes on Friday and travel to Iceland on Monday. The team leads Group D with two wins from two games. Mbappé, France’s second all-time top scorer with 52 goals, needs six more to surpass Olivier Giroud. He scored his 14th goal in 10 games for Real Madrid this season on Saturday. On Sunday, he watched from the stands as his younger brother, Ethan Mbappé, scored for Lille against Paris Saint-Germain.

With his older brother Kylian Mbappé watching proudly from the stands, teenager Ethan Mbappé netted a dramatic late equalizer against his former club as Lille held injury-hit Paris Saint-Germain to a 1-1 draw on Sunday. Despite being held, PSG returned to the top of the French league standings, one point ahead of Marseille, Strasbourg, and Lyon. Both Mbappé brothers departed PSG in the summer of 2024 — Kylian joined Real Madrid in Spain, while Ethan stayed in France, signing a three-year contract with Lille. The 18-year-old left-footed midfielder, known for his technical flair, has overcome last season’s injury struggles and shown impressive form in recent weeks. Kylian celebrated enthusiastically as his younger brother leveled the score in the 85th minute. Coming on as a late substitute, Ethan struck a low left-footed shot inside the box to beat PSG goalkeeper Lucas Chevalier, then marked his second goal of the season by copying Kylian’s signature celebration — arms crossed over his chest. 3 new faces in Argentina squad, Messi uncertain for upcoming friendlies Earlier, PSG had taken the lead in the 66th minute through Portuguese left back Nuno Mendes, who curled a superb free kick into the top corner. Toulouse stun LyonBrazilian forward Emersonn scored twice in the closing moments as Toulouse came from behind to claim a 2-1 victory over Lyon. Lyon led until the 87th minute, when Emersonn equalized with a deflected strike before sealing the win in stoppage time with a header. Belgian forward Malick Fofana had earlier given Lyon a deserved first-half lead following a well-worked team move. Lyon, now fourth with 15 points from seven games, suffered their second defeat of the season, while Toulouse climbed to ninth. Marseille and Strasbourg impressSecond-placed Marseille extended their winning run to four matches with a 3-0 away victory over bottom side Metz on Saturday. Strasbourg moved up to third after thrashing Angers 5-0 despite several absences. Joaquín Panichelli and Martial Godo both scored twice, with Panichelli joining Monaco’s Ansu Fati as Ligue 1’s joint top scorers on five goals. Riviera derby ends levelIn the Riviera derby, Monaco and Nice shared the spoils in a 2-2 draw. Nice raced to a 2-0 lead courtesy of Sofiane Diop’s first-half brace against his former club but were reduced to 10 men after Ali Abdi was sent off in the 34th minute. Fati, on loan from Barcelona, converted two penalties to rescue a point for Monaco. Elsewhere, Rennes drew 2-2 with Le Havre. Source: AP 

A nightmare week for Barcelona continued with a crushing 4-1 defeat away to Sevilla at the Ramón Sánchez-Pizjuán Stadium on Sunday, as the reigning  Spanish champions lost their chance to reclaim the top spot in the La Liga table from arch-rivals Real Madrid. Sevilla dominated from the outset, taking a two-goal lead in the first half and adding two more late in the second. Barcelona had hinted at a comeback when they pulled one back right before halftime, but a series of missed opportunities left them frustrated. Just three days earlier, the Catalan had suffered their first defeat of the season — to PSG in the Champions League. Now, their unbeaten La Liga run has also come to an end in Seville. Barca coach Hansi Flick was forced to rotate his squad heavily for this match, with key players such as Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Fermin Lopez, Gavi, and goalkeeper Joan Garcia sidelined due to injuries. Sevilla immediately showcased their strength after kickoff, and the visitors suffered an early setback just 13 minutes into the match. Barça captain Ronald Araújo fouled Sevilla’s Isaac Romero two minutes earlier — an incident initially overlooked by the referee. However, following a VAR review, the decision was overturned and a penalty awarded. Former Barcelona forward Alexis Sánchez stepped up, sending Wojciech Szczęsny the wrong way to give Sevilla the lead. Sevilla continued to press aggressively, and Romero could have had a hat-trick had he finished several of his promising chances. During this spell, Szczęsny was kept extremely busy, making crucial saves to prevent further damage. In the 36th minute, however, the Polish keeper was helpless, as Sevilla launched a swift counterattack. This time, Romero found the back of the net, and doubled his team’s advantage. Barcelona created a couple of clear opportunities just before the halftime, but Marcus Rashford failed to capitalize despite facing the goalkeeper one-on-one, while Robert Lewandowski’s acrobatic attempt narrowly missed the target. In added time, the Catalans finally pulled one back through a brilliant combination between Pedri and Rashford. Pedri sent a long, flying pass to the opposite direction, just outside the box, and Rashford finished it off with a superb first-time strike.