logo
Soccer-Boca Juniors stumble in Clausura opener with goalless draw

Soccer-Boca Juniors stumble in Clausura opener with goalless draw

The Star6 days ago
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Final - Chelsea v Paris St Germain - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. - July 13, 2025 A car decorated in the colours of Boca Juniors and featuring an image of Diego Maradona is seen outside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Lee Smith
BUENOS AIRES (Reuters) -Boca Juniors' hopes of making a flying start to their Argentina Clausura tournament campaign were dashed in Sunday's goalless draw with Argentinos Juniors at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
The home side set the tone early on by testing Boca's keeper Agustin Marchesin with a Tomas Molina header, and they kept up the pressure throughout the first half with attempts from Emiliano Viveros and Federico Fattori that kept Marchesin busy.
After the break, Boca Juniors came close to opening the scoring when Miguel Merentiel unleashed a shot from the left side of the box, but Argentinos Juniors' goalkeeper Diego Rodriguez thwarted him.
Both sides shared a point from their opening clash, with Boca left to rue what was expected to be a statement performance following their disappointing Club World Cup exit in the group stage last month.
(Reporting by Angelica Medina in Mexico City; Editing by Christian Schmollinger)
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

EPL legends Terry, Giggs, Berbatov in KL for 7x7 action [WATCH]
EPL legends Terry, Giggs, Berbatov in KL for 7x7 action [WATCH]

New Straits Times

time5 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

EPL legends Terry, Giggs, Berbatov in KL for 7x7 action [WATCH]

KUALA LUMPUR: EPL legends John Terry, Ryan Giggs and Dimitar Berbatov are in town to get Malaysians to play a new type of football — the seven-a-side game. Terry, Giggs and Berbatov feel that the 7x7 game suits them perfectly, especially at this stage of their careers. The trio are playing in the inaugural Zurich Liga 7x7 All Stars, which kicks off at KLFA Stadium today. "It's a great concept. We're doing something very similar back home," said former Chelsea captain Terry. "I was speaking to Adam Azman (Liga X CEO) about organising it here. It's a format that works in England, so hopefully this is the start of something we can return to annually." Terry, who will captain Team Bangsa Bola under Tan Sri Nazir Razak, said the smaller pitch for the seven-a-side game makes it ideal for players who may no longer have the legs they once had. "The pitch is compact, which is great for us older players. We're looking forward to it," said Terry. "I think this style of football is exciting. The game has evolved over the last decade, it's slower now than it was during our time, but this format brings a new kind of energy." Terry also highlighted the format's appeal to younger, digital-savvy audiences. "It blends the worlds of football and entertainment. You have ex-pros, influencers, streamers, and the following is huge," he said. "Mixing former footballers with social media personalities works. It reaches a wider crowd." Giggs, who was also in KL two months ago to promote the Manchester United-Asean All-Stars match, said modern audiences are drawn to short, sharp formats. "We're in an age now where everyone wants things quickly. Look at cricket in 2020, shorter formats are more popular, and other sports are following suit," added the Manchester United icon. Giggs will turn out for Team Wizards, managed by former sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin. "Khairy's very persuasive," Giggs said with a grin. "But honestly, we love going abroad and connecting with fans. Myself, Terry, Berbatov, we're always up for it." Berbatov, who will represent Team Zurich under Zurich Malaysia country head Junior Cho, said this form of football has long been part of his roots. "Back home in Bulgaria, this type of football has always been popular. Even as a little boy, I played five-a-side, six-a-side, seven-a-side, I still do today," said the former Manchester United and Tottenham striker. "It's a great format. It forces you to be more technical, especially in tight spaces. It's a great way to sharpen your skills." Tan Sri Tony Fernandes leads the fourth team who will feature Malaysia's very own Safee Sali in the 7x7 showcase.

EPL legends Terry, Giggs, Berbatov in KL for 7x7 action
EPL legends Terry, Giggs, Berbatov in KL for 7x7 action

New Straits Times

time5 hours ago

  • New Straits Times

EPL legends Terry, Giggs, Berbatov in KL for 7x7 action

Farah Azharie KUALA LUMPUR: EPL legends John Terry, Ryan Giggs and Dimitar Berbatov are in town to get Malaysians to play a new type of football — the seven-a-side game. Terry, Giggs and Berbatov feel that the 7x7 game suits them perfectly, especially at this stage of their careers. The trio are playing in the inaugural Zurich Liga 7x7 All Stars, which kicks off at KLFA Stadium today. "It's a great concept. We're doing something very similar back home," said former Chelsea captain Terry. "I was speaking to Adam Azman (Liga X CEO) about organising it here. It's a format that works in England, so hopefully this is the start of something we can return to annually." Terry, who will captain Team Bangsa Bola under Tan Sri Nazir Razak, said the smaller pitch for the seven-a-side game makes it ideal for players who may no longer have the legs they once had. "The pitch is compact, which is great for us older players. We're looking forward to it," said Terry. "I think this style of football is exciting. The game has evolved over the last decade, it's slower now than it was during our time, but this format brings a new kind of energy." Terry also highlighted the format's appeal to younger, digital-savvy audiences. "It blends the worlds of football and entertainment. You have ex-pros, influencers, streamers, and the following is huge," he said. "Mixing former footballers with social media personalities works. It reaches a wider crowd." Giggs, who was also in KL two months ago to promote the Manchester United-Asean All-Stars match, said modern audiences are drawn to short, sharp formats. "We're in an age now where everyone wants things quickly. Look at cricket in 2020, shorter formats are more popular, and other sports are following suit," added the Manchester United icon. Giggs will turn out for Team Wizards, managed by former sports minister Khairy Jamaluddin. "Khairy's very persuasive," Giggs said with a grin. "But honestly, we love going abroad and connecting with fans. Myself, Terry, Berbatov, we're always up for it." Berbatov, who will represent Team Zurich under Zurich Malaysia country head Junior Cho, said this form of football has long been part of his roots. "Back home in Bulgaria, this type of football has always been popular. Even as a little boy, I played five-a-side, six-a-side, seven-a-side, I still do today," said the former Manchester United and Tottenham striker. "It's a great format. It forces you to be more technical, especially in tight spaces. It's a great way to sharpen your skills."

Ryan Giggs says 11-a-side football remains the cornerstone of the sport
Ryan Giggs says 11-a-side football remains the cornerstone of the sport

The Sun

time5 hours ago

  • The Sun

Ryan Giggs says 11-a-side football remains the cornerstone of the sport

FORMER Manchester United star Ryan Giggs believes the traditional 11-a-side format will continue to be the cornerstone of global football, despite the growing popularity of small-sided formats such as 7-a-side. Speaking at a Liga 7x7 All Stars 2025 tournament event held at the Kuala Lumpur Football Stadium, Cheras, here, the Welshman said even though the shorter format offers entertainment and engagement, particularly among younger audiences, but it cannot replace the full version of the game. 'I think obviously 11-a-side will always be there, and I think there's room for smaller formats of the game as well. 'Quicker games, rolling subs, more goals, more excitement, but it'll never replace 11-a-side because that's your bread and butter in every league and every international league in the world,' he told a pre match press conference, here, today. Meanwhile, former Chelsea and England captain John Terry shared similar sentiments, saying the 7-a-side format is exciting and has strong digital appeal, especially when combined with social media personalities and content creators. 'This format and this style of football is very exciting. The game's changed over the last 10 years and the actual following of these kinds of games and events is really big,' he said. On the other hand, Manchester United forward Dimitar Berbatov, said the small-sided football has its advantage in developing technical ability, thanks to its tight spaces. 'This type of football is always popular in my country (Bulgaria). Even when I was a little boy, I still play to this day five-a-side, six-a-side, seven-a-side, so it's nothing new to me,' he said. For today's tournament, Giggs will lead Team Wizards, Terry will be the captain Team Bangsa Bola, Berbatov will spearhead Team Zurich while former national striker Safee Sali will spearhead Team Harimau. The one-day tournament feature four teams and will also play by a mix of retired professionals, prominent figures such as former Youth and Sports Minister Khairy Jamaluddin, Capital A Bhd chief executive officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes and ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ASEAN-BAC) Malaysia chair Tan Sri Nazir Razak as well as local celebrities and influencers. Among the rules are each match will be played in 30 minutes with 15 minutes each half, no slide tackles and rolling-substitutions with players can be in and out the game anytime and unlimited. - Bernama

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store