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Arsenal Thrash Slavia Prague 3-0

Arsenal Thrash Slavia Prague 3-0, Equal 122-Year Clean Sheet Record, Debut Youngest UCL Player

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Arsenal Thrash Slavia Prague 3-0, Equal 122-Year Clean Sheet Record, Debut Youngest UCL Player—-Arsenal equalled a 122-year-old club record of eight successive games in all competitions without conceding a goal as they swept past Slavia Prague 3-0 on Tuesday to go top of the Champions League with four wins out of four.
Mikel Merino, replacing injured striker Viktor Gyokeres as a makeshift forward, scored twice in the second half after England winger Saka had put the Premier League leaders ahead in the 32nd minute.
Arsenal, who brought on 15-year-old Max Dowman in the second half to become the youngest-ever player in the Champions League, have now also won their last 10 games in a row and looked unstoppable at the Fortuna Arena.
The only threat to the eighth successive clean sheet, and a record dating back to 1903, came late in the game when VAR overruled a penalty decision on a Ben White challenge.
Otherwise goalkeeper David Raya spent much of the match as a spectator, watching Arsenal make light of injury absences with another assured display.

DOMINATED THE DEFENSIVE PART

“Emotionally I think we handled it very well. It shows the consistency we have, we dominated the defensive part of the game against a team that is very difficult to play against,” said manager Mikel Arteta.
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“Tonight we made four changes from the weekend and they all performed really well. Overall a really productive evening.”
Saka’s spot kick, the ball drilled to the bottom corner with Jakub Markovic unable to reach it despite diving the right way, calmed nerves after an aggressive and high-pressing start by the home side.
The penalty was given, harshly to some onlookers, after Gabriel’s header hit Slavia captain Lukas Provod’s raised hand and a VAR review confirmed the handball.
Arsenal ended the half with five shots on target, four from Saka, and 63% of the possession.
Merino made it 2-0 on the volley, 36 seconds after the start of the second half, from a cross by the unmarked Leandro Trossard.
The Spanish midfielder then put Arsenal 3-0 ahead in the 68th with a header flicked past goalkeeper Jakub Markovic after Declan Rice lofted the ball into the area.
Trossard came off and was replaced by Dowman, at 15 years and 308 days old taking a record previously set by Youssoufa Moukoko at 16 years and 18 days with Borussia Dortmund in 2020.
“It doesn’t get any harder than this competition and Max at 15 straight away looked to take people on and win free kicks,” said Arteta.
“We have a massive player there.”
Slavia are still without a win in the league phase and remain on two points.
“We knew that it would be a very difficult game for us but at the beginning it was good. We were defending very well but after the opening goal it was much easier for Arsenal,” Provod told UEFA.com.

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Tottenham Agree Club-Record £100m Deal for Sandro Tonali From Newcastle United

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Tottenham Agree Club-Record £100m Deal for Sandro Tonali From Newcastle United—-Spurs have reached an agreement with Newcastle United for the Italy international, with Roberto De Zerbi landing his top midfield target in a blockbuster deal worth up to £100 million.

Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a club-record £100 million deal with Newcastle United to sign Italian midfielder Sandro Tonali, in what is set to become one of the biggest transfers of the summer window. The agreement is understood to be worth an initial £92.5 million, with a further £7.5 million in performance-related add-ons.

The 26-year-old is expected to sign a long-term contract at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after agreeing personal terms. Tonali is reportedly set to become one of the club’s highest-paid players, with manager Roberto De Zerbi playing a pivotal role in convincing his fellow Italian to make the move to North London.

De Zerbi identified Tonali as the cornerstone of his midfield rebuild, believing the Italy international possesses the technical quality, leadership and tactical intelligence needed to transform Spurs into Premier League and UEFA Champions League contenders. The pair share a close footballing philosophy, with sources indicating Tonali was persuaded by De Zerbi’s long-term vision for the club.

Tonali joined Newcastle United from AC Milan in 2023 for around £55 million and quickly became one of the Premier League’s standout midfielders. Although his first season in England was interrupted by a 10-month suspension for breaches of betting regulations, he returned strongly and helped Newcastle end their long wait for major silverware by winning the Carabao Cup before re-establishing himself as one of the league’s elite central midfielders.

For Newcastle, the sale represents a substantial profit and provides significant financial flexibility as the club continues to reshape its squad. Reports suggest Eddie Howe’s side are already targeting replacements, including Hoffenheim winger Bazoumana Touré and Swiss midfielder Johan Manzambi, while also exploring further additions before the new season begins.

The acquisition of Tonali signals Tottenham’s intent under De Zerbi. The Italian midfielder is expected to become the centerpiece of a revamped Spurs side aiming to challenge for domestic honours and compete strongly in Europe. Once the medical and final paperwork are completed, Tonali will officially become Tottenham’s most expensive signing in the club’s history, eclipsing all previous transfer records.

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JUST IN: Folarin Balogun Scores but Sees Red as USA Beat Bosnia to Reach World Cup Round of 16

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JUST IN: Folarin Balogun Scores but Sees Red as USA Beat Bosnia to Reach World Cup Round of 16—-The USMNT defeated Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in Santa Clara to book a last-16 clash with Belgium, but the victory was overshadowed by Folarin Balogun’s controversial red card after the striker had opened the scoring.

The United States booked their place in the Round of 16 of the 2026 FIFA World Cup with a determined 2-0 victory over Bosnia and Herzegovina, overcoming the dismissal of star striker Folarin Balogun to continue their impressive run on home soil.

Mauricio Pochettino’s side endured a nervy start at the San Francisco Bay Area Stadium as Bosnia threatened through Ermedin Demirović, forcing goalkeeper Matt Freese into two excellent early saves. Despite Bosnia’s bright opening, the hosts gradually settled into the contest, dominating possession and creating the better opportunities.

The breakthrough came just before halftime in the 45th minute. A high press forced Bosnia into surrendering possession near midfield, and after Malik Tillman’s attempted pass deflected kindly into Balogun’s path, the Monaco striker calmly slotted a left-footed finish beyond the goalkeeper to score his third goal of the tournament. The strike made Balogun only the third American player to score three or more goals in a single FIFA World Cup.

The match took a dramatic turn in the 64th minute when Balogun was shown a straight red card following a VAR review. Referee Raphael Claus upgraded the incident to serious foul play after reviewing Balogun’s challenge on Bosnia defender Tarik Muharemović, leaving the United States to play the remainder of the match with ten men. The dismissal means Balogun will miss the Round of 16 clash against Belgium through suspension.

Despite the setback, the Americans showed tremendous resilience. With Bosnia pushing forward in search of an equalizer, Malik Tillman produced a moment of brilliance in the 82nd minute, curling a superb free-kick into the top corner to double the lead and effectively seal qualification. Matt Freese completed an outstanding evening by preserving his clean sheet with several key saves late in the contest.

The victory sends the United States into the Round of 16, where they will meet Belgium in Seattle in one of the standout ties of the knockout stage. However, Pochettino will be without his leading scorer after Balogun’s dismissal, a significant blow as the co-hosts aim to reach the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 2002.

While Balogun’s evening ended in disappointment, his goal proved crucial in setting the United States on course for victory. Combined with Tillman’s spectacular free-kick and a disciplined defensive display, it was enough to keep the Americans’ World Cup dream alive as they prepare for their toughest test yet against Belgium.

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