SOCCER

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Portugal recorded a comfortable win over Turkey Saturday to reach the knock out stage of Eoro 2024. Bernardo Silva gave Portugal the lead in the 21st minute after Nuno Mendes' cross deflected into his path before Akaydin failed to look and passed the ball beyond onrushing goalkeeper Altay Bayindir seven minutes later.

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Central defender Mats Hummels (35) will leave Borussia Dortmund immediately, the Bundesliga club said on Friday, ending a partnership that stretched back to 2008 with a three-year spell at Bayern Munich.

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Spain qualified for the knockout stages of EURO 2024 with a game to spare after beating Italy 1-0 in their 11th encounter at a major tournament - a record between two European nations. With this their fifth meeting in as many European Championships, these two international giants were familiar foes as they both took to the field in search of successive group stage wins.

Despite having suffered elimination at the expense of Italy at both Euro 2016 and Euro 2020, Spain have already proved they are not a team stuck in the past. Their whitewash first game triumph over Croatia saw them win the game despite having less possession - the first time since the Euro 2008 final that they had less of the ball in a game.

Still, La Roja saw plenty of the ball early on here, and some sublime build-up saw Pedri’s header draw a remarkable save from Gianluigi Donnarumma. Italy struggled to adapt to Spain’s tempo and Nico Williams spurned his own golden headed chance after 10 minutes, nodding past the post when found in acres of space.

As the half progressed, the Italians looked to strike on the counter, but there was little doubt who was in charge as Alvaro Morata flashed a shot at Donnarumma before the keeper pulled off another fine save from Fabian Ruiz’s long-range effort. Having seen an early chance thwarted within 90 seconds of the first half, there was early second-half symmetry as Pedri sent his 12-yard effort wide of the goal.

Considering their inability to find the back of the net, perhaps Spain coach Luis de la Fuente breathed a sigh of relief when his side eventually took the lead courtesy of Italian defender Riccardo Calafiori’s unfortunate own goal with 55 minutes gone - though it was undoubtedly a deserved one for La Roja. There was a hint of Spain’s golden era about the way this side moved the ball around, with the Azzurri unable to keep up with the tormenting young trio of Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Williams.

The latter nearly scored one of the goals of the tournament with 20 minutes to go, curling a brilliant effort onto the woodwork from the edge of the box. Only finally making inroads into La Roja’s defence with 10 minutes to go, it was a case of too little too late for an Italian outfit that will be hoping for much more in what is now a crucial final group stage game against Croatia. Spain, meanwhile, continue to defy some critics and look to be playing their best football ahead of their contest against Albania.

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Olympique Marseille is making significant strides in their search for a new head coach, with talks now underway to appoint Roberto de Zerbi. The Italian manager has emerged as the strongest candidate, outpacing other contenders, including Sérgio Conceição, in the current stage of negotiations.

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Cristiano Ronaldo, the legendary Portuguese forward, has once again etched his name into the annals of football history by becoming the first player ever to participate in six European Championship (Euros) editions. Spanning two decades, his involvement from 2004 to 2024 underscores his enduring excellence and remarkable longevity in the sport.

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In a thrilling turn of events, soccer sensation Sam Kerr has signed a new contract with Women's Super League (WSL) champion Chelsea, as announced by the club on Thursday. This announcement comes after months of speculation about Kerr's future, especially following the departure of Chelsea's esteemed manager, Emma Hayes, who left to lead the US Women’s team.

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Everyone loves an underdog story, and every major tournament is made infinitely better by one. However, the first round of matches at Euro 2024 was giving us little to get excited about on that front. And then Romania came along. With precious few big names in their squad, they were widely fancied to finish bottom of what is, on paper, the weakest group in the tournament.

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In a significant move to bolster their defensive options, Chelsea has agreed to sign highly-rated Brazilian right-back Pedro Lima from Sport Recife. The 17-year-old talent, born in 2006, will join Chelsea via their affiliate club, Strasbourg. This strategic acquisition involves a transfer fee of $7.5 million, with an additional $3.2 million in potential add-ons, making it Sport Recife's record sale in the club's history.