United News of Bangladesh

Francesco Pio Esposito scored in the 72nd minute and Alessandro Bastoni added an insurance goal in stoppage time to lead Inter Milan to a 2-0 win over River Plate on Wednesday night and into the second round of the Club World Cup. Esposito’s goal came just six minutes after River Plate’s Lucas Martínez Quarta was shown a red card after taking out the legs of Henrikh Mkhitaryan on a breakaway and preventing a clean shot on goal. Just two minutes before the red card, River Plate came close to taking the lead when Manuel Lanzini found Facundo Colidio in the box with a cross, but Inter Milan goalkeeper Yann Sommer made the save. Bastoni's goal in front of more than 45,000 fans came on a left-footed shot from outside the box in the 93rd minute, reports AP. FIFA probes alleged racial abuse of Real Madrid's Rüdiger at Club World Cup Inter Milan finished atop Group E with seven points, two more than Monterrey, which finished second in the group following a 4-0 victory over Urawa Red Diamonds on Wednesday night. River Plate finished in third with four points and Urawa Red Diamonds finished in last, going 0-3. Key Moment Esposito, a 19-year-old striker, notched his first career goal for Inter Milan after assisting on the squad’s winning goal in a 2-1 victory against Urawa Red Diamonds on Saturday. Takeaways Inter Milan plays Fluminense — one of four Brazilian clubs to advance to the round of 16 — on Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina. Monterrey plays Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday 1 at Atlanta. What They Said “Well, it was a very intense game. Very well balanced, especially in the half time, but then we were playing better. For sure it was a great team, great fans and I respect all of them,” Esposito through a translator. “I’m happy because he played a great game and joined a very difficult and real game and was up to the challenge,” Inter Milan manager Cristian Chivu said through a translator.

Bangladesh Football Federation (BFF) will organise a three-day trail  for the Bangladesh-origin 52 expatriate footballers of 14 to 27 years age groups at the National Stadium in Dhaka on June 28 - 30. This programme is part of BFF broader strategy to engage overseas Bangladeshi players in the various Bangladesh team's. The details of the trail programme, first of its kind in the country's football history,  was  disclosed by BFF vice president cum Chairman of the Development Committe Md Nasser Shahrear Zahedee at a press conference at Raowa Club in the capital on Wednesday. The BFF official said that the players are attending trail at their own expense and the federation will provide jerseys, shorts, and socks only.. The registration deadline is set for June.27. The trail programme, named "BFF Next Global Star" participated by 52 booters of 14 countries will be conducted by a performance Evaluation Panel where National team head coach Javier Cabrera will act as an observer throughout the programme. AFC Women's Asian Cup: Bangladesh team reaches Myanmar Participating players hail from the,United Kingdom (20 players), the United States (14), Sweden (5), Canada (2) and one each from Finland, Belgium, Wales, Italy, Malaysia, Estonia, Spain, Australia, Ireland, and Austria. The coaching panel comprises BFF Technical Director Saifur Bari Titu, Saeed Hasan Kanan, AKM Maruful Haque, Zulfiqar Mahmud Mintu, Mahbub Hossain Roxy,  Golam Rabbani Choton and Alfaz Ahmed. Daily sessions will be split into two groups, and on the final day, a friendly match will be arranged among the participants  BFF EC member Iqbal Hossain, Golam Gaus, Manjurul Karim, Kamrul Hasan Milton, Satyajit Das Rupu, Sayeed Hasan Kanon and BFF Technical Director Saifur Bari Titu were also present at the press conference.

Two-time SAFF Women’s champions Bangladesh team reached  Myanmar on Wednesday morning to play the Group C matches of the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers to be held in the capital Yangon.  Bangladesh team which left Dhaka Wednesday early hours at 2:45 am by a Thai Airways flight, landed the Myanmar capital Yangon at 10:45 am by a connecting flight via Bangkok and they checked in at Novotel Yangon Max Hotel around 1 pm local time. After taking lunch, Bangladesh Women's team made light stretching session at team hotel gymnasium to refresh and recover from long journey from Dhaka to Yangon via Bangkok. Bangladeshi players are in sound health and are taking rest in the remaining period of the  first day. Despite of long journey, Bangladesh team looked fresh and every one in good health and eager to begin preparations for the upcoming matches  The Group C matches of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers will be held at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon from June 29 to July 5 Bangladesh has been placed in Group C of the Asian tournament along with hosts Myanmar, Bahrain and Turkmenistan. AFC Asian Cup: Bangladesh Women’s team leave for Myanmar early Wednesday In Group C matches, Bangladesh will face Bahrain on June 29, Myanmar on July 2, and Turkmenistan on July 5, all at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon. The champion team of the four-team Group C will earn the rights to play in the Women’s Asia Cup to be held in Australia next year As a part of their preparations for the AFC Women's Asia Cup Qualifiers, Bangladesh women's team made very good practices in Tri-nation Football Tournament in Lebanon playing 2-2 draw with upper ranked and hosts Jordan and played goalless draw with Indonesia. Bangladesh team announced here on Tuesday making three changes in the previous line up that toured Jordan Goalkeepers Meghla Rani, Ferdoushi Akter and midfielder Shanti Mardi were dropped the from team while custodians Shorna Rani, Mily Akter and defender Nilufa Yesmin returned to the team.       Members of Myanmar bound Bangladesh women's team are: Rupna Chakma, Sheuly Azim, Shamsunnahar Sr, Shamsinnahar Jr, Monika Chakma, Ritu Porna Chakma, Maria Manda, Tohura Khatun, Afeida Khandakar (Captain), Sagorika, Shaheda Akhter Ripa, Nilufa Yesmin. Munki Akter, Swapna Rani, Khohati Kishku, Sourovi Akhand Preeti, Sultana, Shorna Rani, Mily Akter, Joynob Bibi Rita, Halima Akhter, Nabiran Khatun and Umhela Marma.

FIFA has launched a disciplinary investigation at the Club World Cup after Real Madrid’s Antonio Rüdiger accused Pachuca captain Gustavo Cabral of racially abusing him during their recent match. The incident took place in the closing minutes of Madrid’s 3-1 victory over Pachuca on Sunday in Charlotte, North Carolina. Rüdiger, who is Black, reported the alleged abuse to Brazilian referee Ramon Abatti, prompting the official to initiate FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol by making the approved signal — raising his arms in an ‘X’ above his head. Ronaldo's Saudi club Al Nassr now without coach as Pioli leaves On Tuesday night, FIFA confirmed that formal disciplinary proceedings have been opened against Cabral. “Following a review of the match reports, the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has initiated proceedings against Pachuca player Gustavo Cabral regarding the incident involving Real Madrid’s Antonio Rüdiger,” FIFA stated. A decision is expected before Pachuca’s final Group H fixture against Al Hilal, scheduled for Thursday in Nashville. Regardless of the outcome, Pachuca will not progress beyond the group stage, as the Mexican side cannot finish higher than third place. Cabral, 39, has denied the accusation of racism, stating that he used language considered a common insult in Argentina.  

Cristiano Ronaldo's Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr is without a coach after Stefano Pioli left Wednesday, with the Italian expected to return home to Fiorentina. Al Nassr, owned by the Saudi Public Investment Fund, is left without a coach days before the 40-year-old Ronaldo's contract expires Monday, reports AP. The club said in a social media post “Pioli and his staff are no more the acting coaching staff of the first team.” Pioli previously coached Fiorentina for two seasons until 2019, then won a Serie A title in five years at AC Milan. The club let him go after the 2023-24 season and he joined Al Nassr months later when Luís Castro was fired. Al Nassr is seeking a first domestic league title since 2019 and has parted with three full-time coaches since Ronaldo joined the club 2.5 years ago. Neymar signs contract extension with Santos through 2025 The team will play in the Asian Champions League next season after placing third in the Saudi Pro League. This was secured by winning an end-of-season legal case to be awarded a victory against a team that was judged to have fielded an ineligible player. Ronaldo was a standout helping Portugal win the UEFA Nations League title this month.

Neymar has signed a new deal to stay with Brazilian club Santos until the end of December 2025. The 33-year-old forward rejoined his boyhood club in January but has struggled with injuries since his return. His initial contract was set to expire next week, but both Neymar and Santos announced the extension on Tuesday. “I extended my contract with Santos. I went, I came back and I stay where it all began and where it will never end,” Neymar said in a video posted on his social media. The parties did not clarify why the extension only runs until the end of 2025 rather than mid-2026, which some expected, considering Brazil’s preparations for the next World Cup. Earlier this month, new Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti indicated he hopes Neymar will recover in time to feature in the tournament, to be held in the United States, Mexico, and Canada. Since departing Saudi club Al-Hilal for Santos, Neymar has appeared in 12 matches, scoring three goals and providing three assists, though he missed several games due to muscle injuries. During his first stint at Santos, Neymar played 225 matches, netting 138 goals and helping the club secure six titles. Santos was relegated in 2023 but returned to Brazil’s top flight the following year. Dortmund edge past Mamelodi Sundowns 4-3 in Club World Cup heat battle Neymar’s most recent match was on June 1, when he was sent off during a 1-0 home loss to Botafogo. Attempting to score, he used his hand to push the ball into the net after realizing he couldn’t reach it with his head. Already on a yellow card, Neymar received a second booking and was dismissed. The goal was disallowed, and Botafogo scored the winner in the 86th minute. Neymar's time at Al-Hilal ended by mutual agreement six months before his contract expired. He made only seven appearances for the Saudi club after suffering an ACL injury that sidelined him for nearly a year. Al-Hilal later said Neymar was no longer capable of performing at his previous level. The Brazilian star had also faced criticism after leaving both Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain, despite his contributions to titles and goals at both clubs. Santos currently sits 15th in the Brazilian league table with 11 points from 12 matches. Source: Agency 

Two time-SAFF Women’s champions Bangladesh team are due to leave here for Myanmar Wednesday early hours to play in the Group C matches of the AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers in a hope to play in the final round of Asia Cup  The Group C matches of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup Qualifiers will be held at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon from June 29 to July 5. Bangladesh has been placed in Group C of the Asian tournament along with hosts Myanmar, Bahrain and Turkmenistan. In Group C matches, Bangladesh will face Bahrain on June 29, Myanmar on July 2, and Turkmenistan on July 5, all at the Thuwunna Stadium in Yangon. The champion team of the four-team Group C will earn the rights to play in the Women’s Asia Cup to be held in Australia next year. Bangladesh team will fly for Myanmar to play AFC Women's Asian Cup Qualifiers In a pre-tour press conference at BFF House on Tuesday, Bangladesh captain Afeida Khondakar said, “we are well prepared after playing two matches in Jordan, and do hope to play in the Asia Cup.”  However, Head Coach of Bangladesh team Peter Butler said, hosts Myanmar is very tough opponent, so it will be challenging task for Bangladesh, we wants to make the task easy after beating upper ranked Bahrain and lowly ranked Turkmenistan.  As a part of their preparations for the AFC Women's Asia Cup Qualifiers, Bangladesh women's team made very good practices in Tri-nation Football Tournament in Lebanon playing 2-2 draw with upper ranked and hosts Jordan and played goalless draw with Indonesia. Bangladesh made three changes in the previous line up that toured Jordan Goalkeepers Meghla Rani, Ferdoushi Akter and midfielder Shanti Mardi were dropped the from team while custodians Shorna Rani, Mily Akter and defender Nilufa Yesmin returned to the team.       Members of Myanmar bound Bangladesh women's team are: Rupna Chakma, Sheuly Azim, Shamsunnahar Sr, Shamsinnahar Jr, Monika Chakma, Ritu Porna Chakma, Maria Manda, Tohura Khatun, Afeida Khandakar (Captain), Sagorika, Shaheda Akhter Ripa, Nilufa Yesmin. Munki Akter, Swapna Rani, Khohati Kishku, Sourovi Akhand Preeti, Sultana, Shorna Rani, Mily Akter, Joynob Bibi Rita, Halima Akhter, Nabiran Khatun and Umhela Marma.

Palmeiras staged a late comeback to earn a 2-2 draw against Inter Miami in front of a lively crowd at Hard Rock Stadium on Monday night, with both teams securing spots in the Club World Cup round of 16. The Brazilian side, known for its rich football history, found the equalizer in the 87th minute through Mauricio after trailing for most of the game. The draw was enough for both clubs to progress, as they entered the match level on four points at the top of Group A. Nuno Santo signs new three-year deal to stay at Nottingham Forest Inter Miami seemed on course to win the group after building a 2-0 advantage, thanks to goals from Tadeo Allende in the 16th minute and veteran striker Luis Suarez in the 65th. However, Palmeiras turned the game around following key second-half substitutions. Paulinho pulled one back in the 80th minute, setting the stage for Mauricio's late equalizer. Despite plenty of opportunities and the crowd frequently chanting his name, Lionel Messi, who celebrates his 39th birthday on Tuesday, was unable to find the back of the net.  

Bogura DSA beat Sirajganj DSA by 3-0 goals in a Rajshahi zone match of the UCB -BFF Under- 15 National Football League' 2025 in Rajshahi Sunday afternoon. After barren first half, Habib Hossain put Bogra team ahead in the 51st minute (1-0), Sakib Hossain doubled the margin in the 64th minute (2-0) while Mohammad Sami sealed the fate of the match scoring the 3rd goal in the 76th minute (3-0). Karimul Hassan of the Bogura DSA was adjudged the best player of the match.

Borussia Dortmund capitalised on an early defensive error and held off a late surge by Mamelodi Sundowns to secure a 4-3 win in a sweltering Club World Cup group stage clash at TQL Stadium on Saturday. Both players and the crowd of 14,006 endured intense heat, with on-field cooling breaks implemented as temperatures soared to nearly 90°F (32°C) under a heat advisory. The Sundowns struck first with a swift counterattack that Lucas Ribeiro Costa finished in the 11th minute. But Dortmund responded five minutes later when goalkeeper Ronwen Williams mistakenly passed the ball to Felix Nmecha, who easily converted the opportunity to level the score. The Bundesliga side took full momentum from the miscue, building a 3-1 lead by halftime through goals from Serhou Guirassy in the 34th minute and Jobe Bellingham in the 45th. An own goal by Khuliso Mudau, who misdirected Daniel Svensson’s cross in the 59th minute, gave Dortmund a 4-1 advantage. However, the South African champions mounted a strong response. Iqraam Rayners struck in the 62nd minute after his initial header bounced off the post, and Lebo Mothiba netted in the 90th to make it 4-3. Nuno Santo signs new three-year deal to stay at Nottingham Forest Despite the late push, the Sundowns could not recover from earlier defensive lapses. Notably, American midfielder Gio Reyna, who is with Dortmund instead of the U.S. national team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup, remained on the bench for the second match in a row. Key Moment:Nmecha’s equaliser — gifted by a misplaced pass from the Sundowns keeper — swung the match’s momentum in Dortmund’s favour. Group Implications:The result sends Dortmund to the top of Group H, overtaking Sundowns, who now face a must-win clash against Fluminense on Wednesday. Dortmund will meet Ulsan the same day. What They Said:“I think we did very well first of all, but we just lacked a bit of concentration in a few little bits. … We gave them a hard time,” said Sundowns forward Tashreeq Matthews. Jamal Musiala suffers another injury for Bayern Munich at Club World Cup “It was really difficult, especially for us, being a European team. They played a fantastic game, and I’m sure they’re used to that kind of weather. … In the game, you have to find little fixes,” said Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham. Source: With inputs from agency