Joel Matip ensured the Premier League title race will go to the final day as Liverpool came from behind to win 2-1 at Southampton.

A Reds team showing nine changes from the weekend s FA Cup final over Chelsea found themselves down early through a fine Nathan Redmond strike.

However, Liverpool responded through a thunderous Takumi Minamino strike before the break and went on to secure the win in the second half as Matip headed home a corner in the 67th minute.

Victory moved Jurgen Klopp s men to just a point behind Manchester City at the summit, meaning the teams  respective final-day showdowns with Wolves and Aston Villa will decide the destination of the title.

A big three points on the road. We keep going  

— Liverpool FC (@LFC)

L…

Carlo Ancelotti hailed Real Madrid s togetherness and defensive work after Los Blancos defeated Barcelona 2-1 in Sunday s Clasico to return to the top of LaLiga.

David Alaba opened the scoring on his Clasico debut before Lucas Vazquez tapped in a second in stoppage time as Madrid seemed to be cruising to their fourth consecutive win over Barca in all competitions – their best run since 1965.

Sergio Aguero s pulled one back at Camp Nou but that was not enough as the hosts went winless in a fifth straight LaLiga Clasico, their longest run without a victory against any team in the competition since May 2008.

However, at times Madrid had to soak up significant pressure and Ancelotti was delighted with his side s resolute defending as Ronald Koeman became only t…

Real Salt Lake head coach Pablo Mastroeni credited the collective effort of his league-leading side as they prepare to host Sporting Kansas City at America First Field for Sunday s MLS clash.

Salt Lake sit atop of the Western Conference table after a six-game undefeated streak, having overcome Philadelphia Union 2-1 in their last outing.

Alexandros Katranis provided a remarkable 89th-minute winner in that victory over the Union, with RSL not losing an MLS game since March 9 against Colorado Rapids.

I think it is everything so far, every aspect of the team has been competitive – sometimes the offense clicks, sometimes it is the defense, Mastroeni said.

For me, it is really the collective; from the staff, to the players, to me and the work we do every d…

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In what could prove to be an enjoyable Europa League qualifying battle on Thursday night, Ajax will travel to the Olympic Stadium when they meet Panathinaikos.

Panathinaikos

Starting with the hosts, while Panathinaikos might have breezed their way to another European finish last season, some in Diego Alonso’s camp would have been disappointed by a missed opportunity. Nevertheless, despite signing off the 2023/24 campaign by collecting just a single point from any of their final four Super League appearances, the Greens should take plenty of positives away from an eye-catching summer flurry. Crowned Greek Cup champions for a 20th time back on May 25th as they secured a 1-0 win against Aris, the former Sevilla boss also saw his squad l…

The Government has stopped short of introducing a Hillsborough Law called for by campaigners in its response to a report into the experiences of the bereaved families.

Former bishop of Liverpool the Right Rev James Jones set out 25 learning points in his report The Patronising Disposition of Unaccountable Power, published in November 2017 following inquests into the deaths at the 1989 FA Cup semi-final in Sheffield – where 97 Liverpool FC fans died.

In a response published on Wednesday, the Government said it had signed up to a Hillsborough Charter, pledging to place the public interest above its own reputation, but said a “Hillsborough Law” incorporating a legal duty of candour was not necessary.

In the foreword to the report, Home Secretary James Cleverly…

Fernando Santos expects Portugal to compete strongly for back-to-back European titles but does not think his defending champions are favourites heading into Euro 2020.

Goals from Bruno Fernandes and Cristiano Ronaldo – his 99th in international colours – secured a battling 2-0 win in Luxembourg on Sunday and made sure of Portugal s place in next year s tournament.

Santos side only won one game inside 90 minutes as they ground their way to glory in France in 2016.

The emergence of Bernardo Silva, Joao Felix, Ruben Neves and Fernandes, alongside the presence of the evergreen Ronaldo, arguably gives the veteran coach a far stronger squad than the one that won a maiden major international honour for the country.

However, much as Santos never talked down P…

England star David Beckham is hoping to play a crucial role in helping his country win the hosting rights to the 2018 World Cup.

The LA Galaxy midfielder will head to Zurich to give the England bid one final boost ahead of FIFA s announcement on Thursday of the host countries for the 2018 and 2022 events.

Beckham is part of a strong bidding representative for England, including British Prime Minister David Cameron and Prince William.

We are going to FIFA and a lot of delegates because we need to tell those people about why we feel it is the right thing for us to get the World Cup, Beckham said.

I feel that at the end of the day it is down to what the bid team have done. England have a history and tradition (in football) and it is about the benefits tha…

Despite including him in his preliminary squad, Gareth Southgate says it is a long shot that Luke Shaw will be fit for Euro 2024.

Shaw has been sidelined since February with a muscle injury but is the only recognised left-back in Southgate’s 33-man squad as Ben Chilwell also misses out due to injury.

Joe Gomez is an option for the position after filling in for Liverpool at times this season, while Kieran Trippier has also played at left-back for England in the past.

However, Shaw has been the first-choice left-back for the last two major tournaments, and Southgate admits that he will give him every chance to be fit.

[Luke Shaw s] up against it, said Southgate. He s missed a lot of football.

The fact that he has been our first choice in that po…

Soccer is the world s most popular sport, and little wonder why it s a multi-billion dollar industry.

Currently, this industry is benefiting from advancements in technology.  Beyond ticket and merchandise sales, every part of the industry from clubs to leagues is turning toward the adoption of digital technologies to create new sponsorship strategies, and sources of revenue and also engage their fans.

Speaking of fans, soccer has so many loyal fans.

A large percentage of people who engage in either through regular or are placing bets on soccer. Keep reading to learn more about the new trends in soccer.

Digital Sponsoring Trends In Soccer

1. Tech-Influenced Sponsorship Strategies

Historically, sponsorships in the soccer indust…

Mauricio Pochettino has urged Chelsea supporters not to judge him on whether or not his team lifts the Carabao Cup at Wembley on Sunday.

Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool stand in the way of a first trophy since co-owner Todd Boehly bought the club in May 2022 and began a radical overhaul.

The Argentinian is also aiming to win silverware for the first time in England, having been runner-up in this competition to his current club in 2015 while in charge of Tottenham.

And he pointed to the example of his opposite number on Sunday as a coach who enjoyed a strong reputation even before his first trophy win.

The final 48 hours of prep starts now… |

— Chelsea FC (@ChelseaFC)

Klopp defeated Pochettino’s Spurs in the 2019 Champions League final…