Cruz Azul thrash Vancouver Whitecaps to CONCACAF Champions Cup title
MEXICO CITY - Mexican club Cruz Azul clinched a record-equalling seventh CONCACAF Champions Cup title with a crushing 5-0 victory over Canada's Vancouver Whitecaps in the final at the Olympic Stadium on Sunday.
Hosts Cruz Azul struck early, taking the lead in the eighth minute as Carlos Rotondi slid in to square the ball for captain Ignacio Rivero, who calmly finished in a one-on-one.
Lorenzo Faravelli doubled the lead 20 minutes later, winning back the ball and unleashing a superb strike that curled in off the far post, before Angel Sepulveda and Mateusz Bogusz added another two goals before the break.
While the Major League Soccer side failed to record a single shot, striker Sepulveda added his second goal with a 50th-minute header as Cruz Azul joined Mexican rivals America as the most successful clubs in the 60-year history of the competition. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Premier League clubs agree to extend price cap on away tickets
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Premier League - Aston Villa v Manchester City - Villa Park, Birmingham, Britain - December 21, 2024 General view of fans buying tickets outside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo Premier League clubs unanimously agreed on Tuesday to extend the current 30 pounds ($40.56) cap on away ticket prices for a 10th season, the league said in a statement. Since the price cap was introduced in 2016, away game attendance has risen from 82% to 91%. The cumulative away attendance for the 380 matches during the 2024-25 season was 953,420. "The Premier League and clubs recognise the additional costs associated with fans following their team during the season, and the incredible atmospheres they create at matches," the league said in a statement. This comes after fans of several Premier League clubs united under the Football Supporters' Association campaign "Stop Exploiting Loyalty", prompting a ticket price freeze next season from clubs like Liverpool, Brentford, and Manchester City. The new season of England's top flight will begin on August 15 and conclude on May 24, 2026. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Inzaghi leaves Inter after Champions League final thrashing
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Champions League - Final - Paris St Germain v Inter Milan - Allianz Arena, Munich, Germany - May 31, 2025 Inter Milan coach Simone Inzaghi looks dejected as he walks past the Champions League trophy after collecting his runners up medal REUTERS/Peter Cziborra/File Photo Simone Inzaghi has left his position as manager of Inter Milan, the Serie A club said on Tuesday, after a humiliating 5-0 loss in the Champions League final against Paris St Germain capped a trophyless season. Inter suffered a dismal end to their campaign with Saturday's thrashing in Munich coming after they finished second in Serie A, one point behind champions Napoli, and were knocked out in the Coppa Italia semi-finals 4–1 on aggregate by city rivals AC Milan. Inter face a race against time to appoint a new manager before the Club World Cup, with their campaign getting underway against Mexican side Monterrey on June 18. "The time has come for me to say goodbye to this club after a four-year journey, during which I gave everything," Inzaghi said in a separate statement. Inzaghi won six trophies at Inter: one Serie A title, two Coppa Italia triumphs and three Italian Super Cups. "I want to dedicate one last word to the millions of Nerazzurri (Inter) fans who cheered me on, cried and suffered in difficult moments and laughed and celebrated in the six triumphs we experienced together," he added. "I will never forget you." Italian media reported that Inzaghi will join Saudi Pro League club Al-Hilal and will lead them in the Club World Cup in the United States. Inter confirmed that the decision for Inzaghi to leave the club was taken by mutual agreement earlier in the day. "I would like to thank Simone Inzaghi for the work done, for the passion shown and also for the sincerity in today's discussion, which led to the common decision to separate our paths," club president Giuseppe Marotta said in a statement. La Gazzetta dello Sport reported that Como's Cesc Fabregas and Olympique de Marseille's Roberto De Zerbi are potential candidates to replace Inzaghi at Inter. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
3 hours ago
- Straits Times
Risky business or lethal weapon? Drop shot in focus after Bublik barrage
PARIS - Hit with lots of backslice and a soft touch, the drop shot can be a well-masked weapon in tennis but Alexander Bublik's staggering 37 attempts in Monday's French Open fourth round win over Jack Draper brought the shot sharply into focus. In today's power game where players -- women and men -- thump the ball from baseline to baseline at a speed of more than 120 kmh, applying the shot can be extremely risky. When it does work it gets the crowd going and can crush an opponent's spirit. But Kazakh Bublik, among the most naturally gifted players of his generation, used it to maximum effect against his British opponent, leaving even women's world number one Aryna Sabalenka impressed. "That was crazy. I was watching that match," Sabalenka said on Tuesday after her own march into the semi-finals with a straight sets victory over China's Zheng Qinwen. Sabalenka and Zheng hit a total of 20 drop shots combined, compared to Bublik's 37. "I have to say that the drop shot is quite a risky shot, and you really have to have good hands and good understanding of the court to be able to make it," Sabalenka said. "Not every girl is that fearless like Bublik. I watched that match yesterday, and sometimes it was just, like, wow, it just seems like it was his day." Bublik's drop shot frequency also left his opponent stunned. "He was hitting incredible drop shots all around. I don't play many matches where I feel like it's almost out of my control what's going on, and he made that happen," Draper said. Four-time French Open champion Iga Swiatek hit just three in her own quarter-final win over Ukraine's Elina Svitolina on Tuesday. "He (Bublik) would just go for the drop shot from the serves, from returns. It doesn't make sense, you know?," Sabalenka said. "If you feel that this is the day when things are going to work out for you, you definitely have to go for it because it's a good shot, especially on the clay court," she added. "But it's a risky shot. Not everyone has that good hands as Bublik had yesterday." REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
