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Young Champs show no mercy

Reliance Foundation Young Champs (RFYC) on Saturday emerged triumphant with a 6-1 crushing of Brothers Sports Association in the regional final of the Dream Sports Championship’s Mumbai leg, held at the Cooperage Football Stadium on Friday. The win saw RFYC secure their place in the National Finals of the U-17 tournament, joining Chennaiyin FC, the Bengaluru regional winners, and Punjab FC, who triumphed in the Delhi regional leg. RFYC wasted no time in asserting their dominance, with Atul B Pulipra breaking the deadlock in the 16th minute. The early goal set the tone for a strong first half, and in the 24th minute, midfielder Faris A doubled the lead, making it 2-0 and putting his team in a commanding position. Despite the mounting pressure, Brothers Sports Association showed resilience. Aryan Tamang pulled one back for them in the 49th minute, giving his side a glimmer of hope and cutting RFYC’s lead to 2-1. However, the second half saw RFYC’s attacking prowess shine even brighter. Faris A bagged his second of the game in the 68th minute, restoring a two-goal advantage for his team. The floodgates opened shortly after, as Shawn Fernandes netted two quick-fire goals in the 72nd and 84th minutes, taking the score to 5-1. Substitute Ayush Sihag sealed the win with a goal in the 87th minute, making it a resounding 6-1 scoreline as RFYC were crowned champions of the Mumbai regional final. RFYC started the tournament with a comprehensive 3-0 win over Community Football Club India, with Shadhil EK scoring a brace. and followed up with a dominant 4-0 victory over Mumbai School Sports Association in the semifinal. In that match, Shawn Fernandes scored twice in the first half, and second-half goals from Pritom Brahma and Faris A confirmed their place in the final. "While we performed well during the group stages, our performance in the final really stood out. We are a very close-knit team, and this gives us the perfect momentum heading into the national finals. The Dream Sports Championship was a well-organized, professional tournament. We're very happy with the arrangements - from on-time kickoffs to the setup. It was a great spectacle organised by the Dream Sports Foundation," said RFYC coach Jayaraj G. On the other hand, Brothers Sports Association also displayed exceptional form on their way to the final. They began their campaign with an outstanding 5-0 win over Thane City FC, where Nibash Singh’s hat-trick was the highlight, along with early goals from Roldan Dsilva and Teinam Marshilong. Brothers Sports Association’s resolve was tested in the semifinals when they found themselves trailing 1-0 to Mumbai City FC after an early strike from Neev Chhipa. But they mounted a strong comeback, with Gavisht Goyal, captain Teinam Marshilong, and Nibash Singh scoring to seal a 3-1 victory and book their spot in the final. Despite their valiant efforts, Brothers Sports Association was unable to stop the juggernaut that was RFYC in the final. RFYC’s stunning 6-1 victory not only earned them the Mumbai regional title but also propelled them into the National Finals, where they will compete against the best teams from across the country.

08 February,2025 03:44 PM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
Representational image. Pic/iStock

ISL: Mumbai City hand NEUFC first defeat after eight games

Mumbai City FC defeated NorthEast United FC by 2-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25. The Islanders handed the Highlanders their first defeat after a run of eight winless games to jump to the fourth spot with 31 points. NorthEast United FC made the first critical move in the final third, as it was the duo of Macarton Nickson and Alaaeddine Ajaraie who joined hands from the left side of the field. Nickson picked up the ball from a hasty clearance by the Mumbai City FC backline and launched in a cross for Alaaeddine Ajaraie at the centre. Ajaraie's header flew over the post, depriving the Highlanders of a fine chance to get a lead in the eighth minute. Ajaraie came back to spell trouble for the Mumbai City FC defence five minutes later. Michel Zabaco spotted the forward at a formidable position right at the edge of the box and the Moroccan launched an immediate shot that missed the target to the left. The Highlanders didn’t lose the momentum though, probing questions to the visitors through an array of offensive options. When sustained build-up didn’t yield goals, they resorted to hitting the Islanders on fast counters. After absorbing an attacking endeavour in the 26th minute, the Highlanders embarked on a counter-attack, with Mohammed Ali Bemammer laying the final delivery for Ajaraie inside the box. The striker, placed well inside the box, shot the ball aiming for the left side of the net, but missed by a whisker. Ajaraie didn’t hold back, turning creator for Nestor Albiach with a slick through hall just two minutes later. Albiach’s shot from the middle of the box lacked enough pace to trouble Phurba Lachenpa, who saved it conveniently down the middle. Mumbai City FC overturned this with a moment of absolute brilliance through Brandon Fernandes in the 41st minute. Receiving a pass from Lallianzuala Chhangte on the right flank, Brandon showed great smarts to hurl in a cross for Bipin Singh, who put in a thumping header into the top right corner to get the Islanders the crucial advantage. Chhangte kept pressing up the intensity even as the second half began. He spotted Hmingthanmawia Ralte in a pocket of space on the right flank and served him a chance, which was shot right into the middle of the goal in the 47th minute. Two minutes later, Buanthanglun Samte crossed in a delivery for Nickson following a corner, which the latter received at a slightly difficult angle. He shot it on the left side of the goal but a crowded Mumbai City FC box kept that out of threat. Nickson was hovering around the Mumbai City FC defensive third and he sprung back into the action with a headed pass for Jithin MS, which the attacker took time on but shot above the top right corner. However, the Islanders symbolised this game with moments of efficiency that sealed the three points in their favour. Though the Highlanders took 17 shots as compared to five of the visitors, the Petr Kratky-coached team were more composed upfront. In the added time of the second half, Mumbai City FC struck a rapid counter attack, which Tiri capped off with a superb pass that Chhangte nestled into the bottom right corner from the middle of the 18-yard area to round off a convincing outing. Bipin completed 23 out of his 28 attempted passes, making a clearance and a cross each, in addition to netting the opener of the match. Mumbai City FC will play their next game against FC Goa on February 12, whereas NorthEast United FC are set to feature against Jamshedpur FC on February 13. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

08 February,2025 01:15 PM IST | Shillong | IANS
Bayern Munich's English forward Harry Kane (C) jumps for the ball during the German first division Bundesliga football match FC Bayern Munich vs SV Werder Bremen in Munich, southern Germany. Pic/AFP

'Improving' Harry Kane hits brace as Bayern beat Bremen to move nine clear

Harry Kane said he was still 'improving' after scoring two penalties as Bayern Munich beat Werder Bremen 3-0 at home on Friday to go nine points clear of Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga. There were few chances in the first half but Kane signalled his intent 30 seconds after the break, rattling the crossbar with a shot from outside the box. Kane was key in winning Bayern's first penalty and breaking Bremen's stubborn resistance. The England captain tussled with defender Anthony Young and headed a chipped cross unsighted against the Bremen man's arm, which was slightly extended. The England captain stepped up and converted the spot kick, sending goalkeeper Michael Zetterer the wrong way. Leroy Sane tapped in a Konrad Laimer cross from close range for Bayern's second in the 82nd minute. In stoppage time, Young was again deemed guilty of a foul in the box, this time on Jamal Musiala. Kane stepped up and converted, bringing his penalty streak to 29 in a row for club and country. The former Spurs striker has 21 goals in 19 league games for Bayern this season, including nine penalties. Despite his remarkable record, Kane, 31, told DAZN he was still improving.  "I had a couple of other chances which could've gone my way, if I was a bit more ruthless, but theres still room for improvement, with the left foot especially." It was the seventh time this season Kane has scored to make it 1-0 for Bayern. "Throughout the season there's going to be tight games like tonight and you need moments to break through," Kane told DAZN. "As a striker, I take the responsibility to break the deadlock and get the 1-0." Defending champions Leverkusen travel to Wolfsburg on Saturday and can cut Bayern's lead back to six points with a win. Bayern play away at Leverkusen next week in a match bookended by a two-legged Champions League knockout tie against Celtic.  "Two big away games next week it's going to be tough," Kane said, adding "but for us it's about competing against ourselves, pushing our level, and seeing how far we can take it." Bremen fought hard but were undermanned, on and off the field. Coach Ole Werner along with defenders Niklas Stark and Marco Friedl were all missing due to red cards in the 1-0 home win against in-form Mainz last time out, while attackers Leonardo Bittencourt and Romano Schmid were sidelined with muscle strains. A frustrated Bremen striker Marvin Ducksch complained about Bayern's first spot kick, for handball, telling DAZN "if that happened to us, we don't get that penalty." Despite the loss, Bremen sit eighth, one point behind the European placings, as they bid for a return to continental competition for the first time since 2010-11.  This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

08 February,2025 12:58 PM IST | Munich | AFP
Tottenham Hotspur's Brazilian striker Richarlison receives medical treatment during the English League Cup semi-final second leg football match between Liverpool and Tottenham Hotspur at Anfield in Liverpool, north west England. Pic/AFP

Richarlison sustains suspected calf injury

Tottenham striker Richarlison sustained a suspected calf injury in his team’s 4-0 loss to Liverpool on Thursday, coach Ange Postecoglou said. The Brazil international was substituted just before half-time in the English League Cup semi-final second leg at Anfield. “It looks like his calf. He didn’t look too good after the game, so it’s probably one to add to the list [of injured players],” Postecoglou said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

08 February,2025 08:02 AM IST | London | AP | PTI
Sergio Ramos

Spanish defender Sergio Ramos heads to Mexico

Eight months after his last competitive match, Spanish defender Sergio Ramos will resume his illustrious career on another continent. Ramos, who will turn 39 in March, will play for Monterrey of Liga MX in Mexico where he will have a chance to play in the next edition of the FIFA Club World Cup. The veteran, who won the World Cup in South Africa 2010, has not played an official match since May of last year when he was playing for Sevilla in the Spanish league. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

08 February,2025 08:01 AM IST | Mexico City | AP | PTI
Marcus Rashford (left) with Manchester United boss Ruben Amorim. Pic/Getty Images

‘Couldn’t get him to play, train how I wanted’

Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim let Marcus Rashford leave the club because he couldn’t convince the forward to follow his methods. “I couldn’t put Marcus to see the way you’re supposed to play football and to train the way I see it,” Amorim said in quotes published late Thursday. The 27-year-old Rashford joined Aston Villa on loan the day before Europe’s winter transfer window closed, having not played for United since mid-December. He could make his debut for Villa on Sunday on an FA Cup match against Tottenham. “Sometimes you have one player that is really good with one coach, and the same player with another coach is different,” Amorim said. “I just wish the best to Rashford and to [Villa manager] Unai Emery, and they can connect because he’s a very good player.” Asked whether Rashford said that he did not agree with Amorim’s ideas about soccer, Amorim said: “You know, like me, that it’s not the way that occurs. It’s something that you feel as a coach and as a player. It’s quite normal. It happened with a lot of coaches. The important thing is that I’m here saying that was my decision.” Amorim brushed aside talk of a potential return for Rashford at the end of the season. Rashford’s deal with Villa includes an option to make the move permanent for a reported 40 million pounds ($50 million). This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

08 February,2025 08:01 AM IST | Manchester | AP | PTI
The City International team with their medals and trophy after beating AVM at Azad Maidan on Thursday. Pic/Atul Kamble

City Int’l beat AVM to emerge U-10 champs

City International School (Andheri) emerged victorious with a 1-0 margin over Arya Vidya Mandir (Bandra) in the final of the U-10 MSSA inter-school football Division II tournament at Azad Maidan on Thursday. City International showcased a disciplined defence and quick counter-attacks. AVM, on the other hand, played aggressively, relying on their midfield control and precise passing to break through the sturdy defence of their opponents.  Despite their efforts, AVM struggled to create meaningful goal-scoring opportunities to end 0-0 in the first half. City International forward Uthman Shaikh made a stunning solo run past two defenders before calmly placing the ball past AVM’s goalkeeper, Pragyan Jain. The goal proved to be the decisive moment of the final, igniting celebrations from the City International bench and their supporters. AVM responded with vigour, but City International’s backline held firm. The AVM substitutes, including Dhven Sheth and Chirayu Pandey, made valiant efforts to change the game’s momentum but were unable to break the deadlock. City International coach Ajay Saroj said, “It was a great game. Both teams fought hard. Credit to the boys for the first trophy in football. I am very happy.”Meanwhile, in the third place encounter, SVKN JV Parekh International School (Vile Parle) beat JBCN International School (Parel) 1-0. Trishaan Bhangia scored the goal.

08 February,2025 08:01 AM IST | Mumbai | Rufus Vedanayagam
Barcelona's Spanish forward Ferran Torres holds up three fingers after scoring his third goal during the Spanish Copa del Rey (King's Cup) quarter-final first leg football match between Valencia CF and FC Barcelona at Mestalla Stadium in Valencia. Pic/AFP

Ferran Torres treble powers Barcelona past Valencia into Copa del Rey semis

Ferran Torres hit a hat-trick as Barcelona routed Valencia 5-0 on Thursday to cruise into the Copa del Rey semi-finals. Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal were also on target for the record 31-time Spanish Cup winners as they swaggered to victory at an upset Mestalla stadium. Earlier Real Sociedad progressed with a comfortable 2-0 win over 10-man Osasuna, joining Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in a strong final four. Former Valencia forward Torres took the plaudits with his treble inside 30 minutes, taking full advantage of Barca coach Hansi Flick's decision to rest striker Robert Lewandowski. "We thought that it would be a very difficult game, because here at Mestalla is always a hard ground to play," Torres told TVE.  "We had the luck that we scored goals early and in the end that sunk them." The Spaniard netted in the third minute, running onto a fine Alejandro Balde through ball and finishing clinically against his former side. Torres netted the second after 17 minutes when teenage winger Yamal's shot bounced off the post back into his path. Lopez put Barcelona three up midway through the first half with a well-timed run expertly found by Pedri Gonzalez, rounding goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski and tucking home.  Also Read: Tests: Steve Smith goes up the list of active players with the most centuries Torres completed his hat-trick after half-an-hour with an accurate low finish after Raphinha teed him up on the edge of the box. The former Manchester City winger's bright display offered food for thought, with Barcelona scoring at least five goals in the last four games where veteran Polish striker Lewandowski has not started. Some Valencia fans started leaving the Mestalla stadium in anger, a constant theme around the club with owner Peter Lim criticised by supporters with chants and banners. This was Valencia's second thrashing at Barca's hands in the space of two weeks, after the Catalans triumphed 7-1 at home in La Liga. 'Suffer like this' Valencia had a rare moment of cheer at the start of the second half when Umar Sadiq found the net but the goal was ruled out for offside. The gangly Nigerian striker then won a penalty but that too was scrapped after he was shown to be offside again in the build-up. At the other end Yamal struck the post again but this time the ball flew out and to safety for Valencia. The 17-year-old Spain star got his goal eventually with a low effort which took a small deflection and beat Dimitrievski, who could still have kept it out.  "I'm really happy with the team, how they played, we created chances and scored them from the beginning and that helped us a lot," Flick told TVE. "(Attacking) is the style we want to play in, you know the hunger the team has to go for the next goal... it's a young team and they focus on scoring goals." Valencia are 19th in La Liga, four points from safety and Torres said he hoped they could survive in the top flight. "I hope Valencia save themselves because in the end I'm just another fan," added the forward. "It's hard to see the club of your youth and your life suffer like this, they're really going through it."  Valencia coach Carlos Corberan said his team had been left hurt by the defeat. "It's a very tough loss, especially hard because we feel the same as we did after the league game, but in front of our fans at Mestalla," he said. "We have to give a better account of ourselves... the fans deserve a lot more than what we have been capable of." In San Sebastian Ander Barrenetxea and Brais Mendez struck for hosts Real Sociedad before Osasuna had Alejandro Catena sent off for a wild challenge after 35 minutes. Osasuna beat the same opposition 2-1 in La Liga on Sunday but Catena's dismissal effectively ended any hope of mounting a comeback. La Real reached the Copa semi-finals for the third time in six seasons, last winning in the 2020 edition. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

07 February,2025 05:07 PM IST | Valencia | AFP
Representational Image. Pic Courtesy/iStock

ISL: FC Goa secure comfortable 2-1 win over 10-men Odisha FC

FC Goa produced an impressive performance to outwit Odisha FC 2-1 in the Indian Super League here on Thursday. The Gaurs jumped to the second spot, replacing Jamshedpur FC (34), as a result of this triumph, having 36 points to their name. The Manolo Marquez-coached side took six shots on target as opposed to the two of Odisha FC, also making 15 interceptions vis-à-vis the seven by the Juggernauts, reflecting their superiority in both ends of the field. Odisha FC had a brilliant chance to take the lead on the back of a free-kick effort by Ahmed Jahouh, who was making his 150th ISL appearance, in the 28th minute. Stepping up to lead the set-piece wide down the left flank, Jahouh's accuracy and the weight on the ball meant that his kick took the entire FC Goa backline by surprise. The ball rattled off the crossbar, but the home team quickly overturned this momentum with a patient build-up. Carl McHugh was at the centre of this move, slicing open the Odisha FC backline with a well-paced pass for Borja Herrera in the inside channel down the left side of the box. Also Read: Rohit Sharma reveals the motive for promoting Axar Patel up the order Herrera picked up the ball with a deft touch and squared it immediately for Brison Fernandes in the middle of the 18-yard area. Brison adjusted his feet and drilled the ball into the bottom right corner with a rather reflexive shot in the 29th minute to get the Gaurs the first advantage. Nine minutes later, Diego Mauricio tried to pull the Juggernauts back into the contest, as he earned a foul off Aakash Sangwan inside the penalty box. Sangwan was booked and Mauricio undertook the spot-kick duties. Taking his time, he aimed for the right side of the net but an alert Hrithik Tiwari showed composure and terrific reflexes to make an outstretched dive and make the important save. The duo of Herrera and Brison came back to mount problems on Odisha FC in the second half. As Iker Guarrotxena won a free kick from distance, Herrera's long ball was directed towards Sandesh Jhingan deep into the box. Mourtada Fall made a hasty clearance and the ball landed at Brison's feet. The attacker hurled in a powerful shot, which took a deflection off Lalthathanga Khawlhring, resulting in an own goal on the Odisha FC player's name. The Juggernauts dragged their way back into the game as they caught the FC Goa midfield in a slightly disoriented shape in the 54th minute. Odisha FC hit the Gaurs on a quick counter, with Hugo Boumous unlocking their defence with an impeccable through ball finding Rahul KP on the right side of the box. Rahul hammered the ball into the bottom left corner with an instinctive finish that could have opened the gateways for their comeback in the game. To their credit, Odisha FC did engage in a fruitful period causing troubles to the FC Goa backline post this goal, but their run was halted with Ahmed Jahouh getting sent off in the 73rd minute. Iker Guarrotxena was carrying the ball forward from their half, before the referee caught Jahouh for handball and booked him for the second time in the game, reducing the Juggernauts to 10 men. Odisha FC struggled to create meaningful chances because of FC Goa's numerical advantage after this, as the Gaurs held their lines together and notched their 10th win of the season. FC Goa will play their next game against Mumbai City FC on February 12, whereas Odisha FC are set to feature against Punjab FC on February 10. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

07 February,2025 01:17 PM IST | Margao (Goa) | PTI
Liverpool players. (Pic/AFP)

English League: Liverpool routs Tottenham 4-0 to set up final against Newcastle

Liverpool will play Newcastle in the English League Cup final after routing Tottenham 4-0 on Thursday. A rampant performance overturned Spurs' 1-0 lead from the first leg of the semifinal and sealed a 4-1 aggregate victory that keeps Arne Slot's team in contention for an unprecedented quadruple of trophies in his first season in charge. "We are in one final, but we have a lot to play for still," said Liverpool forward Cody Gakpo, who opened the scoring in the first half at Anfield. "We have to stay calm and focus to reach as much as possible." Mohamed Salah, Dominik Szoboszlai and Virgil van Dijk all struck after the break in a one-sided semifinal second leg. Liverpool will play Newcastle in the final at Wembley Stadium on March 16 for the chance to retain the trophy it won last year. It could be just the first title in what is shaping up to be a special debut season for Slot after succeeding Jurgen Klopp last year. His team is top of the Premier League, into the round of 16 in the Champions League and also in the FA Cup. Such a humbling defeat for Tottenham, meanwhile, will likely lead to more speculation about the future of manager Ange Postecoglou, with his team languishing 14th in the league and having won just four of its last 13 games in all competitions. For the first time under Postecoglou, Spurs failed to get a shot on target in a game, according to stats provider Opta. The League Cup had felt like a lifeline for the Australian and the chance to lift Spurs' first trophy since it won the same competition in 2008. "We have given up a good opportunity tonight and we cannot shy away from that," Postecoglou said. "We were in a good position to get to the final." "Nobody needs to pick me up, I just need to pick up the players." Tottenham was overwhelmed by a Liverpool team that is sweeping aside all-comers this term. Gakpo's first-time finish with his right foot leveled the tie on aggregate in the 34th minute and Liverpool took complete control after the break. Salah fired a penalty high into the top corner in the 51st after Darwin Nunez was brought down by Spurs goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky in the box and Szoboszlai ended a slick Liverpool attack with a low finish in the 75th. Van Dijk headed in Liverpool's fourth from a corner five minutes later. The League Cup proved to be Klopp's final piece of silverware in a trophy-laden reign at Liverpool with victory against Chelsea in last year's final. Then, as now, the Merseyside club was in contention for a quadruple, but ended up with just one trophy. Slot's team looks better placed to win multiple titles sitting six points clear in the league. "It's not normal to reach a final, we should always be aware of that," Slot said. For Newcastle, the final marks another another chance to end its 70-year wait for a major domestic trophy. Its last trophy was the now-defunct Inter-Cities Fairs Cup in 1969 and the most recent domestic title was the FA Cup in 1955. Despite being bought by Saudi Arabia's sovereign wealth fund in 2021, it is still waiting to end that trophy drought. But a 4-0 aggregate victory over Liverpool's closest title rival Arsenal is evidence of the threat posed by Eddie Howe's team in the final.  This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

07 February,2025 11:03 AM IST | London | AP
Ferran Torres (File Pic)

Barcelona routs Valencia again to reach Copa del Rey semifinals

Ferran Torres scored a hat trick in the first half hour to lead Barcelona to another rout of Valencia and a spot in the semifinals of the Copa del Rey on Thursday.Torres scored in the third, 17th and 30th minutes in Barcelona's 5-0 win at Valencia.  Fermin López scored in the 23rd and Lamine Yamal in the 59th for the Catalan club, which less than two weeks ago had handed Valencia a 7-1 rout at home in the Spanish league. "We thought it was going to be a very difficult game but we were lucky enough to score early," said Torres, a former Valencia and Manchester City forward.  "That's what got them down. I wish them all the luck, I hope they escape relegation because I'm just another fan. It's hard to see the club of your life suffer like this. They're having a really bad time." Valencia, sitting second-to-last in the Spanish league and enduring an off-the-field crisis related to fan protests against Singaporean owner Peter Lim, was runner-up to Real Betis in the Copa in 2021-22. Barcelona hadn't made it to the Copa semifinals since being eliminated by Real Madrid in 2022-23. It last won the competition in 2020-21. The Catalan club has outscored its opponents 26-11 in its last seven matches across all competitions. Sociedad advances Real Sociedad eliminated Osasuna for the second straight season with a 2-0 victory. Ander Barrenetxea and Brais Méndez scored first-half goals to give Sociedad the home victory against an Osasuna team that played a man down from the 35th when Alejandro Catena was sent off with a straight red card after video review intervened. Sociedad was already ahead 2-0 when Catena was sent off. Sociedad had won by the same score at Osasuna in the round of 16 last season. It hadn't made it to the last four since it won its third Copa title in 2019-20. Osasuna was runner-up to Real Madrid in 2022-23. On Wednesday, Real Madrid edged Leganes 3-2 with a stoppage-time goal by 20-year-old Gonzalo García. Atletico Madrid had become the first team to reach the semifinals when it routed Getafe 5-0 at home Tuesday. In the last quarterfinal on Thursday, Barcelona will visit Valencia. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever

07 February,2025 10:53 AM IST | Madrid | AP
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