AUSTIN, TEXAS (REUTERS) - Ferrari Formula One driver Charles Leclerc missed his US Grand Prix flight this week after an official at the airport closest to his Monaco home questioned his travel authorisation, he said on Thursday (Oct 21). The 24-year-old told reporters at the circuit in Austin, Texas, that he had made an unscheduled detour via New York after missing his original flight from Nice in the south of France due to the mix-up. "My NIE (National Interest Exception) hadn't been accepted at the airport, so I couldn't take the original flight, so we changed the flight and went to New York last minute," Leclerc explained. "It was just one guy at the airport of Nice that for some reason didn't really know what was an NIE, and I got stuck there. "He only realised one minute before closing the flight that the NIE was OK, but I didn't have my passenger locator form, so I had to stay in Nice." Leclerc said he flew instead to New York, a city he had never before visited, and spent a day there before going on to Milwaukee for the first NBA match of the season. Foreign citizens are unable to travel to the United States due to the Covid-19 pandemic, unless they fall into one of a number of exempt categories that includes athletes. More on this topic Related Story Formula One: Hamilton cheerful but realistic ahead of US grand prix test Related Story Formula One: Verstappen seeks Texan triumph to extend lead over Hamilton
BASEL (REUTERS) - Jorginho missed a penalty as Italy were held to a 0-0 draw by Switzerland in a World Cup qualifier on Sunday (Sept 5), a result that meant Roberto Mancini's side equalled the world record for international matches unbeaten in a row. Italy have now not lost for 36 consecutive matches, matching Brazil's record set between 1993 and 1996. The result could have been more positive had Jorginho converted from the penalty spot in the 52nd minute after Domenico Berardi had been fouled, but the Chelsea midfielder was thwarted by home goalkeeper Yann Sommer. Italy had further chances to snatch victory but had to settle for a draw, meaning they remain top of qualification Group C on 11 points from five games, four ahead of the second-placed Swiss, who have two matches in hand on the Azzurri. Mancini's side came into the match having disappointingly drawn 1-1 with Bulgaria on Wednesday in their first match since becoming European champions two months ago. But the visitors were much the better side in the first half in Basel and should have taken the lead through good chances for Berardi and Lorenzo Insigne, both of whom were denied by Sommer. The best chance of the night came seven minutes into the second half after Ricardo Rodriguez, trying to atone for being caught in possession, lunged in on Berardi to concede a penalty. Jorginho, who missed his spot kick in Italy's penalty shootout victory over England in the Euro 2020 final, stepped up but placed his effort far too close to Sommer, who made an easy save. Sommer proved impossible to breach as he denied Insigne again to leave Italy heading home having been frustrated for the second successive qualifier. The Azzurri face Lithuania on Wednesday, while Switzerland travel to Northern Ireland. More on this topic Related Story Football: Lingard double helps England ease past Andorra Related Story Football: Spain back on track with Georgia thrashing
VALENCIA (AFP) - Lionel Messi missed a penalty but still scored twice, including an exquisite free-kick, as Barcelona edged a five-goal thriller with Valencia on Sunday (May 2) to stay within touching distance of the top of La Liga. After Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both won on Saturday, there was no margin for error at Mestalla, where Barca's 3-2 win reduced the gap behind Atletico back to two points, now with four games left to play. Gabriel Paulista headed Valencia in front early in the second half and Messi missed a penalty, only to smash in from the resulting scramble. Griezmann and a superb Messi free-kick looked to have made the victory secure but Carlos Soler's stunning strike from distance in the 83rd minute left Barcelona holding on at the end, a nerve-wracking win meaning they could overtake Atletico Madrid next weekend if they beat Diego Simeone's side at Camp Nou. After a frantic week in which Real Madrid drew against Real Betis, Atletico lost to Athletic Bilbao and Barca were beaten on Thursday by Granada, order has been restored to some extent this weekend, with all the top three back to winning ways. Sevilla are now six points behind Atletico and will need to beat Athletic Bilbao on Monday to stay in the mix ahead of their own crunch game next weekend away at Real Madrid. Barcelona's key strengths and weaknesses were clearly demonstrated against Valencia where again they proved themselves to be the most creative team in the division while also showing their vulnerabilities again at the back. And if they have one trump card during the run-in, it is Messi, whose double takes his La Liga tally to 28 goals for the season, seven ahead of Karim Benzema and even more remarkable given his relatively slow start. The Argentinian now has seven in his last five games. Ronald Koeman was banned from the bench after being sent off against Granada, with assistant coach Alfred Schreuder in his place on the line. Barcelona had the better of the chances in the first half Valencia could take encouragement from some clear openings on the break. They should have capitalised early in the second half as Goncalo Guedes ran onto Soler's pass but failed to beat Marc-Andre ter Stegen with a poked finish. But Valencia scored from the resulting corner, Gabriel heading into an empty net at the back post, with Barca claiming a foul on Marc-Andre Ter Stegen. Thierry Correia had stepped across the goalkeeper but it was not enough for a free-kick. Correia could have made it two shortly after but missed the target and instead, Barcelona scored three times in 12 minutes. First, Valencia's Toni Lato was guilty of a clear handball to prevent Frenkie De Jong tapping in and while Messi missed the penalty, a tame attempt pushed away by Jasper Cillessen, Sergio Busquets did brilliantly to keep the ball alive. Gabriel blocked Pedri's volley on the line and in the mayhem, Messi reacted fastest to smash in the rebound. Six minutes later, Barca were in front, Griezmann finishing after De Jong timed his run perfectly to meet Alba's floated cross, only for his header to be palmed by Cillessen into Griezmann's path. And then Messi scored the best of the lot, winning a free-kick with an excellent touch away from his marker centrally, on the edge of the box, before curling a delightful shot away from Cillessen's left hand and in off the post. Barcelona looked secure until Soler set up a dramatic finish by thundering in a shot from 30 yards with seven minutes left to play. Valencia pushed, flooding the box and chipping balls forward but ultimately lacking the final chance they craved.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND (REUTERS) - A superb late goal from Aston Villa’s Anwar El Ghazi condemned Everton to a 2-1 defeat in an action-packed clash and hit their hopes of a top-four finish in the Premier League on Saturday (May 1). The result left the Merseyside club, who have won only one of their last 10 league matches at home, eighth on 52 points while Villa moved two places up to ninth on 48 points. Everton trail fourth-placed Chelsea by nine points with five games left to play. Villa missed plenty of chances in an action-packed first half after Ollie Watkins fired them ahead in the 13th minute but grabbed the winner out of the blue when El Ghazi unleashed an 80th-minute thunderbolt into the top corner. Their manager Dean Smith was pleased with the outcome and acknowledged Villa still had plenty to play for as they rekindled hopes of securing a place in Europe. “It’s easy for people to say we haven’t got anything to play for but we want to finish as high as we can,” Smith told the BBC. “We want to regain that momentum and consistency we had earlier in the season. “It was a really good game of football and both teams tried to win. I think we deserved it on the balance of chances. Jordan Pickford was in really good form and denied Ollie Watkins time and time again.” Having spurned an early chance, Watkins gave Villa the lead as he robbed Mason Holgate of the ball and steered a low shot past Everton goalkeeper Pickford but sloppy defending cost the visitors shortly afterwards. Dominic Calvert-Lewin levelled in the 19th minute when he nodded in a Lucas Digne corner at the far post and then missed a gilt-edged chance as Villa keeper Emiliano Martinez kept out the striker’s close-range header. Villa dominated the final 20 minutes of an absorbing first half as they missed one chance after another, with El Ghazi and Ross Barkley hitting the woodwork while Pickford denied Bertrand Traore twice in quick succession. The pace fizzed out in the closing stages and just as the game seemed to be heading for a draw, El Ghazi picked his spot on the edge of the area and gave Pickford no chance with a delightful shot. Everton manager Carlo Ancelotti was frustrated after his side’s poor home league form continued. “It is difficult to say why (Everton struggle at home),” said the Italian. “It is the same team who beat Arsenal seven days ago. We of course could do better at home for sure. It is unbelievable, the run we had away and the run we had at home. “We made a lot of mistakes at the beginning – no balance, no concentration. It was not a good evening.”
BUDAPEST (REUTERS) - Barcelona out-classed Ferencvaros and eased their way to a 3-0 away win on Wednesday (Dec 2) for a fifth consecutive Champions League win which took them to the brink of clinching top spot in their group. Lionel Messi was rested and missed a second European trip in a row but Barca barely noticed their captain's absence as goals from Antoine Griezmann, Martin Braithwaite and a penalty from Ousmane Dembele gave them a three-goal lead before the break. Ronald Koeman's side continued to dominate in the second half and Dembele missed three chances to add to their lead while Miralem Pjanic also came close. Barca, who have already qualified for the knockout stages, lead Group G with a maximum 15 points. They host second-placed Juventus in their final game next week and will finish top if they avoid defeat.
MADRID (AFP) - Lionel Messi came on at half-time to rescue Barcelona by scoring twice, including his first goal from open play this season, in a 5-2 victory over Real Betis on Saturday (Nov 7). Messi had been rested by Ronald Koeman but was thrown on with the game in the balance after Antoine Griezmann missed a penalty in the Argentinian's absence, before Antonio Sanabria cancelled out Ousmane Dembele's opener. But within four minutes of his introduction, Messi gave Griezmann an open goal with a superb dummy and then scored twice himself, the first a penalty that saw Betis' Aissa Mandi sent off for a handball on the line. In between, Loren Moron had given Betis brief hope but Messi's second and a late strike from Pedri ensured Barcelona ended their four-match winless run and climbed to eighth in La Liga. Messi gave a resounding answer to those suggesting his performances this season have been evidence of decline. "Leo finished the match against Kiev with some problems," said Koeman. "He wasn't in a position to play in the first half but we talked about him being on the bench and said he would come on if he felt good. "He's a player who in principle always plays, but today he didn't because of some minor problems." Even before registering his first goal of the season from open play, the 33-year-old had turned this game, putting Barcelona in control with his brilliant dummy for Griezmann and then a penalty won from a Dembele shot, teed up by his pass. Griezmann also got his goal with Messi on the pitch but was unable to prove a point without him. Gloomy Griezmann Despite a lively opening half an hour, Griezmann missed a penalty before Messi scored his and the Frenchman was eventually substituted, pictured sat in the stands with a gloomy expression while Barca romped to victory. "I hope he continues to work like he is working," said Koeman. "To miss opportunities you have to be there. We must highlight his character, to keep working. He knows perfectly well that he has missed a penalty, and some chances, but it means he is always there to score." Neither team seemed too interested in defending early on as Griezmann and Ansu Fati fired off two shots each while Marc-Andre ter Stegen had to be alert to push away William Carvalho's header. Barca broke through after 22 minutes when Dembele cut inside onto his left foot before hammering a finish past Claudio Bravo for his first league goal in 13 months. When Mandi conceded a penalty after sliding in on Ansu at the front post, Griezmann had his chance to add a goal to his busy first-half display. But Griezmann missed, a tame shot easily saved by Bravo, before Betis scored, Sanabria finishing after Cristian Tello had again surged clear down the left. Messi came on and four minutes later Barca were ahead, the Argentinian scuttling to meet Jordi Alba's cross at the front post, only to step over the ball, fooling his marker and the goalkeeper, to leave Griezmann with an open net. Eleven minutes later, Messi made it 3-1 with a penalty, won after his pass had set up Dembele for a shot that was blocked on the line by the arm of Mandi, who was sent off. Moron gave Betis hope with 17 minutes left when he finished off Alex Moreno's pullback but Messi made sure, latching onto Sergi Roberto's flick and smashing in his second and Barca's fourth. Pedri made it five in injury-time. Sevilla later beat Osasuna 1-0 thanks to a penalty from Lucas Ocampos, that moves them up to 11th. It is only the second time Sevilla have managed back-to-back wins this season, after a 3-2 victory over Krasnodar on Wednesday in the Champions League.