Chennaiyin FC Are New ISL Champions
Forced to shift base to another venue due to floods in their home city, Chennaiyin FC have been crowned the Indian Super League champions after they beat FC Goa 3-2 in a drama-filled summit clash in which three goals were scored in the last four minutes of play.
Bruno Pelissari put Chennaiyin ahead in the 54th minute but Goa equalised within four minutes with Thongkhosiem Haokip finding the target. Joffre Gonzalez then put Goa ahead for the first time in the 87th minute in what looked like to be the winning goal.
But, under dramatic circumstances, Goa goalkeeper Laxmikant Kattimani conceded an own goal in the 90th minute to level the score before Chennaiyin striker Stiven Mendoza found the target in the first minute of the injury time to stun the home supporters of Goa.
Barca Win Club World Cup
Lionel Messi broke the deadlock and Luis Suarez scored twice in the second half to give Barcelona a typically emphatic 3-0 win over River Plate in the Club World Cup final on Sunday.
Messi, playing against an Argentine team for only the second time in his career, showed superb control to turn in Neymar’s header after 36 minutes.
Uruguay forward Suarez burst clear of the River defence four minutes after halftime and headed another from a pinpoint Neymar cross to take his tally in the tournament to five goals.
Barcelona, fielding six South American players in their starting lineup, sliced through the River defence and looked as if they could score with almost every attack as they went on to win the title for the third time.
Bale Smashes Four as Real Crush Nine-man Rayo 10-2
Real Madrid closed to within two points of La Liga pacesetters Barcelona and Atletico Madrid when Gareth Bale helped himself to his first four-goal haul in a 10-2 demolition of nine-man Rayo Vallecano on Sunday.
Though Rayo took an early 2-1 lead, Real managed to go to halftime with a 4-2 lead.
With two men fewer, Rayo had little chance against waves of Real attacks and Benzema made it 5-2 three minutes into the second half before Ronaldo headed in a James Rodriguez cross in the 53rd. The Portugal forward set up Bale for his hat-trick in the 61st and the Wales international completed his first four-goal haul with a 70th-minute tap-in to double his La Liga goals tally for the season to eight.
Benzema made it 9-2 in the 80th minute and Real hit double figures when the France international scored his third in the final minute.
Vijender Enjoys Knocking Out Big-talking Rivals
Sounding out a warning to future opponents after completing a hat-trick of Knockout wins, star Indian boxer Vijender Singh has said his rivals should think twice before making tall claims as it gives him immense pleasure to demolish their threats with his punches.
Vijender scored a Technical Knockout over Bulgaria’s Samet Hyuseinov on Saturday for his third successive win in the pro circuit.
The 30-year-old needed just two rounds to halt the Bulgarian. Hyuseinov had promised to send Vijender back to India “beaten and broken” but the Indian was one who did the demolishing act.
“Words were said before the fight by him which made me want to put on a powerful performance and I did that. He was good, but he wasn’t good enough to live up to his words. If the opponent brings big promises he’d better deliver or he’s getting knocked out,” Vijender said.