Sports
Bayern Fail To Win, Again In Bundesliga
Bayern Munich failed to win for a second consecutive Bundesliga game as they were held to a draw at Union Berlin.
After toiling for 75 minutes, Bayern appeared to have found the win to move them 11 points clear at the top through Leroy Sane.
But Benedict Hollerbach equalised eight minutes later to earn a point for Union and move them further clear of the relegation zone.
At the top of the German league, it means Bayer Leverkusen can close the gap with Bayern to six points if the reigning champions beat Stuttgart on Sunday evening.
Bayern took the lead when Michael Olise picked the lock with a clever pass in behind to Josip Stanisic.
Stanisic cut it back towards the penalty spot where Sane nipped in to finish.
After being shocked on their 125th anniversary by Bochum last weekend, Bayern appeared to have recovered as they knocked Leverkusen out of the Champions League in midweek.
But Vincent Kompany’s side suffered a setback as 21-year-old keeper Jonas Urbig – playing in just his third league game – spilled a cross, allowing Hollerbach to volley home.
The point moves Union seven points clear of the Bundesliga relegation play-off spot.
Meanwhile,RB Leipzig moved up to fifth place in the Bundesliga with a 2-0 win over Champions League quarter finalists Borussia Dortmund, who struck the woodwork three times in a pulsating second half.
Leipzig looked to be coasting after dominating the first 50 minutes and going ahead through goals by Xavi Simons and Lois Openda.
But Dortmund responded strongly, with Maximilian Beier hitting the bar and the post within five minutes of Leipzig’s second goal.
Karim Adeyemi’s shot was brilliantly tipped onto the crossbar by Leipzig goalkeeper Peter Gulasci, while Pascal Gross and Nico Schlotterbeck also missed chances to get Dortmund back into the game.
Openda had already hit the bar from close range when Leipzig took the lead, Simons latching on to a rebound from Dortmund keeper Gregor Kobel with a first-time shot from near the penalty spot.
Leipzig struck the woodwork again before half-time when Ridle Baku hit Dortmund’s bar from the edge of the penalty area, and they looked to taking total control when Openda volleyed in from a corner two minutes into the second half.
Dortmund, who qualified for the last eight of the Champions League with a 3-2 aggregate win over Lille, were stung into action but after spurning multiple chances they remain in 11th place in the Bundesliga.
Leipzig are one spot short of Eintracht Frankfurt, who played Bochum late yesterday, on goal difference.
Sports
Gyokeres Situation, Transfer Under Cloud At Sporting

Sporting have not received an offer for striker Viktor Gyokeres and there is no gentleman’s agreement for him to leave for £59million, says club president Frederico Varandas.
Sweden international Gyokeres, 27, has been heavily linked with Manchester United and Arsenal after scoring 97 goals in 102 matches during two seasons in Portugal.
He has a 100m euro (£85m) release clause in his contract.
It has been widely reported that, after staying at Sporting last summer, Gyokeres and Sporting agreed he could leave for 70m euros (£59m) this summer.
However, Varandas said the club’s only promise to Gyokeres was that they would not demand his full release clause.
“I can guarantee that Viktor Gyokeres will not leave for 60m euros plus 10m euros because I never promised that,” Varandas said.
“To this day Sporting has not had an offer for Gyokeres, neither today nor last season.”
Gyokeres spent three seasons with Coventry City in the Championship before joining Sporting under Ruben Amorim.
Manchester City director of football Hugo Viana was sporting director at Sporting last summer, when Gyokeres’ agent sought assurances about his leaving if a suitable offer arrived.
“One of the agent’s biggest concerns was whether we would demand the termination clause,” said Varandas.
“He wanted to guarantee certain things. And what was agreed? That Sporting would not demand a release clause now.
“For one reason: he was going to be 27 years old and no player leaves Portugal at 27 for 100m eurors or 90m euros.
“In that same meeting the agent wanted to anchor the exit to a value. I said this sentence: ‘It’s not worth us setting a value because I don’t know what will happen in a year’s time. I don’t know if it will be 40m euros, 60m euros or 80m euros. What I can guarantee is that I will not demand 100 million euros.’”
Sports
Concacaf Opposes 64-Team W’Cup Plans

Concacaf President Victor Montagliani has criticised a proposal to expand the 2030 men’s World Cup to 64 teams.
The plans, put forward by South American governing body Conmebol, have also drawn opposition from Uefa president Aleksander Ceferin and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC).
The tournament will be hosted by Spain, Morocco and Portugal, after the opening matches are held in Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The 2026 World Cup, which will take place across the United States, Mexico and Canada, has already been expanded from 32 to 48 teams.
But Conmebol said it wanted to add more participants to mark the competition’s 100-year anniversary.
“I don’t believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players,” Montagliani told Tidesports source
“We haven’t even kicked off the new 48-team World Cup yet, so personally, I don’t think that expanding to 64 teams should even be on the table.”
Concacaf is the governing body of football in North America, Central America and the Caribbean.
The decision to expand the 2026 World Cup to 48 teams was taken in 2017 following a unanimous vote at a Fifa congress.
Fifa’s 75th congress will be held in Paraguay on 15 May, when Conmebol’s proposal could be discussed.
If the proposal is accepted, the 2030 edition would consist of 128 matches, double the number played under the 64-game format used from 1998 and 2022.
In March, Ceferin described the proposal as a “bad idea” while AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al-Khalifa said it would cause “chaos”.
“If the issue remains open to change, then the door will not only be open to expanding the tournament to 64 teams,” said Salman.
“But someone might come along and demand raising the number to 132 teams. Where would we end up then? It would become chaos.”
Sports
Brazil Edge Paraguay, Book W’Cup Spot

Brazil qualified for the 2026 World Cup this week with a 1-0 win against Paraguay in South American qualifying to give Carlo Ancelotti his first win as manager.
Real Madrid forward Vinicius Jnr scored from close range in the second half, finishing after fine work from Manchester United-bound playmaker Matheus Cunha.
The victory, Ancelotti’s first after a 0-0 draw against Ecuador on his debut last week, means Brazil has now qualified for every edition of the World Cup.
“We needed to win and qualify for the World Cup,” said Vinicius Jr.
“Now the coach will have more time to work. Of course today wasn’t one of our best performances, but the important thing is always to win.
“Now it’s time to celebrate qualifying.”
Elsewhere, World Cup holders Argentina played out an entertaining 1-1 draw with Colombia in Buenos Aires.
Liverpool winger Luis Diaz opened the scoring with a fine individual goal, dancing through three defenders before finishing past Aston Villa goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez.
Argentina was reduced to 10 men with 20 minutes remaining when Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez was sent off for a high-boot challenge on Colombia’s Kevin Castano.
But Lionel Messi’s side found an equaliser nine minutes from the end through Lyon’s Thiago Almada, leaving Colombia four points clear of seventh-placed Venezuela.
Ecuador, Argentina’s nearest challengers, booked their spot at next summer’s tournament in Canada, Mexico and the United States after a 0-0 draw away at Peru.
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