logo
Thibout Courtois ends Real Madrid's 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund with a leaping save

Thibout Courtois ends Real Madrid's 3-2 victory over Borussia Dortmund with a leaping save

Fox Sportsa day ago
Associated Press
EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. (AP) — Real Madrid's Club World Cup quarterfinal against Borussia Dortmund had taken three crazy turns during nine minutes of second-half stoppage time when Marcel Sabitzer chested the ball and sent a right-footed volley toward Thibout Courtois' post.
Courtois leapt to his right, extended the long arm on his 6-foot-7 frame and just managed to get his gloved fingertips on the ball, knocking it down.
Courtois hit the ground as the ball bounded up. He looked skyward, planted his right hand to regain his balance, grabbed the ball with both hands on the second bounce and fell onto it with his chest.
Sabitzer turned his back to the goal and put both hands on his head as Brazilian referee Ramon Abatti walked by, raised both hands and blew the final whistle.
'In football it's like this. All the teams that are here, they compete until the end," Courtois said after Real's 3-2 victory Saturday. 'A game could become like this at any minute and that's what happened at the end.'
Voted the top goalkeeper in 2018, Courtois has won a pair of Champions League titles with Real Madrid along with a two Premier League championships and four in La Liga. 'We are so lucky that we have Thibaut on goal because Thibault is one of those keepers that makes you win games and today that save has been so decisive,' Madrid coach Xabi Alonso said.
Gonzalo Garcia and Fran Garcia scored in the first 20 minutes as Madrid built a 2-0 lead.
Dortmund's Maximilian Beier scored three minutes into stoppage time and Kylian Mbappe, who entered in the 67th, restored a two-goal lead with his bicycle kick one minute later.
Serhou Guirassy converted a penalty kick in the eighth minute of added time after he was fouled by Dean Huijsen, who received a red card and will miss the semifinals.
Courtois then came up with a stop for the ages.
'It is a great big save. That's the reason why he is the best goalkeeper in the world," Dortmund coach Niko Kovač said.
Madrid advanced to a semifinal match against Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, a day after Chelsea meets Brazilian club Fluminense.
"The nervousness, we need to learn to be more calm in the next game and finish the game in possession,' Courtois said.
___
Associated Press Writer Nuria Diaz Munoz contributed to this report.
___
AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

'Props to the moms': Bencic reaches her first Wimbledon quarterfinal on ninth attempt
'Props to the moms': Bencic reaches her first Wimbledon quarterfinal on ninth attempt

Associated Press

time12 minutes ago

  • Associated Press

'Props to the moms': Bencic reaches her first Wimbledon quarterfinal on ninth attempt

LONDON (AP) — Belinda Bencic advanced to her first Wimbledon quarterfinal — 11 years after her All England Club debut — by beating 18th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6 (4), 6-4 on Monday. Bencic, who had lost in the fourth round on three previous occasions, failed to convert five match points while serving at 5-3 in the second set. But on the sixth one, Alexandrova sent a forehand long on No. 1 Court. 'For you guys it was entertaining,' Bencic said about that marathon game at 5-3, where Alexandrova finally converted her fourth break point to stay in the match. 'For me it was a big stress.' The 28-year-old Bencic's best result at a Grand Slam was reaching the semifinals at the 2019 U.S. Open, where she also reached the quarters on two other occasions. The Tokyo Olympic champion, playing at Wimbledon for the ninth time, had not been into the last eight at any of the other three majors, until now. 'I always got stuck in the fourth round (at Wimbledon),' Bencic said in an on-court interview. 'So it was so important for me today to be able to kind of break through to the quarterfinal.' Bencic missed last year's grass-court Grand Slam tournament while she was on maternity leave, having given birth to her first child — a daughter named Bella — in April 2024. She said traveling with a child on tour is still relatively easy while Bella is so young, but that she's spending a lot more time taking pictures when she's at tournaments. 'I'm juggling it like every mom does,' Bencic said. 'So, props to the moms.' Bencic will play the winner between seventh-seeded Mirra Andreeva and No. 10 Emma Navarro, who were playing on Centre Court later. Navarro beat defending champion Barbora Krejcikova in the previous round, ensuring there will be a first-time winner of the women's tournament this year. Also later, No. 8 Iga Swiatek was playing Clara Tauson and No. 19 Liudmila Samsonova faced Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. ___ AP tennis:

'Props to the moms': Bencic reaches her first Wimbledon quarterfinal on ninth attempt
'Props to the moms': Bencic reaches her first Wimbledon quarterfinal on ninth attempt

Yahoo

time13 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

'Props to the moms': Bencic reaches her first Wimbledon quarterfinal on ninth attempt

LONDON (AP) — Belinda Bencic advanced to her first Wimbledon quarterfinal — 11 years after her All England Club debut — by beating 18th-seeded Ekaterina Alexandrova 7-6 (4), 6-4 on Monday. Bencic, who had lost in the fourth round on three previous occasions, failed to convert five match points while serving at 5-3 in the second set. But on the sixth one, Alexandrova sent a forehand long on No. 1 Court. 'For you guys it was entertaining,' Bencic said about that marathon game at 5-3, where Alexandrova finally converted her fourth break point to stay in the match. 'For me it was a big stress.' The 28-year-old Bencic's best result at a Grand Slam was reaching the semifinals at the 2019 U.S. Open, where she also reached the quarters on two other occasions. The Tokyo Olympic champion, playing at Wimbledon for the ninth time, had not been into the last eight at any of the other three majors, until now. 'I always got stuck in the fourth round (at Wimbledon),' Bencic said in an on-court interview. 'So it was so important for me today to be able to kind of break through to the quarterfinal.' Bencic missed last year's grass-court Grand Slam tournament while she was on maternity leave, having given birth to her first child — a daughter named Bella — in April 2024. She said traveling with a child on tour is still relatively easy while Bella is so young, but that she's spending a lot more time taking pictures when she's at tournaments. 'I'm juggling it like every mom does,' Bencic said. 'So, props to the moms.' Bencic will play the winner between seventh-seeded Mirra Andreeva and No. 10 Emma Navarro, who were playing on Centre Court later. Navarro beat defending champion Barbora Krejcikova in the previous round, ensuring there will be a first-time winner of the women's tournament this year. Also later, No. 8 Iga Swiatek was playing Clara Tauson and No. 19 Liudmila Samsonova faced Jessica Bouzas Maneiro. ___ AP tennis:

Liverpool's summer signing ready for Premier League season
Liverpool's summer signing ready for Premier League season

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Liverpool's summer signing ready for Premier League season

Frimpong Looks Ready as Liverpool Begin the Long Walk Back Liverpool are stirring again. The break has been long but not without grief. Almost six weeks have passed since the season ended and in that time, there has been both movement in the transfer market and an aching stillness following tragedy. Now, with pre-season training set to begin, the club finds itself poised between preparation and mourning. Advertisement The loss of Diogo Jota has cast a shadow across Liverpool and beyond. Football, for all its power to distract, cannot always outrun the weight of real life. 'Players' minds will be elsewhere for the next few weeks while they deal with the grief of losing their friend.' It's a sobering thought and a stark reminder that footballers are human beings first. Support at the heart of Liverpool This is where Liverpool's identity counts for more than slogans and social media posts. On Merseyside, particularly on the red half, togetherness has always mattered. 'We are all a big family' may sound like a cliché to some, but in moments like these, it becomes a truth that carries real strength. Advertisement The return to training on Tuesday will be the start of something new but not just in terms of tactics and fitness. It will be a time for healing. The group dynamic will change, shaped by loss and resilience. The absence of Jota will be felt deeply, but slowly, the dressing room will begin to breathe again. Frimpong working to hit ground running Amidst all this, Jeremie Frimpong has been spotted working on his conditioning, preparing himself for the challenge that awaits. His commitment to personal preparation speaks volumes. 'Frimpong has been pictured working hard on his fitness, completing a variety of training drills to get up to speed.' For a player still bedding into the club's culture, that effort matters. Adaptation to Premier League football is no small task, especially under a coach like Arne Slot who demands energy, structure and intensity. Frimpong's proactive approach to the summer lays a good foundation. 'Getting a head start is going to be key for any of the new recruits if they want to bed themselves into the team from the off.' Photo: IMAGO Advertisement These weeks before the season starts are crucial. Not just for match sharpness, but for forging bonds. The pitch is only part of the job. Being able to trust your teammates, to connect off the field, is where the true cohesion begins. 'Pre-season games will be integral bonding experiences for the group… so that everyone feels comfortable around each other as they will be working in close proximity all the time.' Return framed by grief and determination There is, naturally, an air of cautious optimism. Not one of celebration but of steady rebuilding. 'It can be easy to get overexcited… so soon after Jota's passing, this optimistic update is valued.' Slot's tenure is beginning, the players are returning, and Liverpool, as ever, are looking forward. But this will not be a normal pre-season. Nor should it be. The rhythm of the game will resume, but for many, the tempo will carry a different note now. Still, as Frimpong shows, readiness is not just about fitness. It's about spirit too.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store