logo
Boca Juniors stumble in Clausura opener with goalless draw

Boca Juniors stumble in Clausura opener with goalless draw

Straits Times3 days ago
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
Soccer Football - FIFA Club World Cup - Final - Chelsea v Paris St Germain - MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey, U.S. - July 13, 2025 A car decorated in the colours of Boca Juniors and featuring an image of Diego Maradona is seen outside the stadium before the match REUTERS/Lee Smith
BUENOS AIRES - Boca Juniors' hopes of making a flying start to their Argentina Clausura tournament campaign were dashed in Sunday's goalless draw with Argentinos Juniors at the Diego Armando Maradona Stadium.
The home side set the tone early on by testing Boca's keeper Agustin Marchesin with a Tomas Molina header, and they kept up the pressure throughout the first half with attempts from Emiliano Viveros and Federico Fattori that kept Marchesin busy.
After the break, Boca Juniors came close to opening the scoring when Miguel Merentiel unleashed a shot from the left side of the box, but Argentinos Juniors' goalkeeper Diego Rodriguez thwarted him.
Both sides shared a point from their opening clash, with Boca left to rue what was expected to be a statement performance following their disappointing Club World Cup exit in the group stage last month. REUTERS
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Emotion, unity and drive help Italy end 28-year wait to reach Euro semi-finals
Emotion, unity and drive help Italy end 28-year wait to reach Euro semi-finals

Straits Times

time6 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Emotion, unity and drive help Italy end 28-year wait to reach Euro semi-finals

Find out what's new on ST website and app. GENEVA - Team unity drove Italy to end their 28-year wait to reach the semi-finals of the Women's European Championship, Italian midfielder Giada Greggi told Reuters after their 2-1 quarter-final win over Norway. "I think the humility, the fact that we are a united group, showing our qualities, that's what made this important result and we brought it home," Greggi, who came off the bench in the 77th minute of Wednesday's encounter, said. The raucous Italian crowd urged their players on, with chants of "forza Italia" and the Stade de Geneve lit up when Cristiana Girelli found the net twice in the second half, including a 90th-minute winner. "There were a lot of emotions in that (second) goal. It was the whole journey we took, the sacrifices we made and in the end we reached the semi-final," Greggi stated. "It was a fantastic feeling. We almost didn't believe it at the end of the game," said Michela Cambiaghi who also came on in the 77th minute. Italy defender Elena Linari said the 35-year-old Girelli was an inspiration for the team. "Now we're going to put Girelli in a display case to rest for the semi-final - she deserves it all, and she's such a huge inspiration for us," Linari said. It was the first time since 1997 that Italy had reached the semi-finals at a European Championship. "It was achieved with effort and many sacrifices ... today we have shown that we can do very well," Greggi said. Before the match Italy's coach asked his team to close their eyes and think back to the first time they had touched a football, Barbara Bonansea said. "The feeling I have now is exactly the same. The stadium was packed, the energy was incredible. This achievement fills my heart," she added. Italy will face either England or Sweden in the semi-final. REUTERS

Norway rue missed opportunities and late lapse as Euro 2025 dream crushed by Italy
Norway rue missed opportunities and late lapse as Euro 2025 dream crushed by Italy

Straits Times

time7 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Norway rue missed opportunities and late lapse as Euro 2025 dream crushed by Italy

Soccer Football - UEFA Women's Euro 2025 - Quarter Final - Norway v Italy - Stade de Geneve, Geneva, Switzerland - July 16, 2025 Norway's Elisabeth Terland, Maren Mjelde, Ingrid Engen and Tuva Hansen look dejected after Italy's Cristiana Girelli scores their second goal REUTERS/Denis Balibouse GENEVA - Norway forward Elisabeth Terland lamented her team's failure to capitalise on key moments after a late defensive error allowed Cristiana Girelli to score her second goal, sending Italy to the Euro 2025 semi-finals on Wednesday with a 2-1 win. "I just think we didn't take our big moments, even though we had momentum, and they did," Terland, who was introduced in the second half to chase a second goal for Norway, told Reuters. "It's those moments that win you the game, so unfortunately, it went like that today." Norway looked like they had the edge as their Women's European Championship quarter-final approached 90 minutes with the score tied at 1-1, but Girelli's late header off a deep cross from Sofia Cantore dashed their hopes. The 2013 finalists had gone behind when Girelli got her first goal early in the second half and their misery was compounded by captain Ada Hegerberg missing a penalty. But when Hegerberg equalised in the 66th minute the pendulum swung in favour of the Scandinavians, only for Italy to deal a late knockout blow. "It was a first half in which Italy were best, but we improved ourselves in the second," Norway defender Maren Mjelde told Reuters. "We had good control, and then suddenly they seemed to get a goal out of nothing." The Italians had targeted Norway's right flank all night with Cantore's precise delivery catching the Norwegian defence off guard. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. Singapore Over 600 Telegram groups in Singapore selling, advertising vapes removed by HSA Singapore 2 weeks' jail for man caught smuggling over 1,800 vapes and pods into Singapore Singapore Coffee Meets Bagel's Singpass check: Why I'll swipe right on that Singapore Jail for man who fatally hit his daughter, 2, while driving van without licence Sport 'Like being in a washing machine with 40 deg C water': Open water swimmers brave challenging conditions Singapore Primary 1 registration: 38 primary schools to conduct ballot in Phase 2A Singapore ComfortDelGro to introduce new taxi cancellation, waiting fee policy Business Cathay Cineplexes gets fresh demands to pay up $3.3m debt for Century Square, Causeway Point outlets "We knew that they were good at crosses and in the box, they got a lot of players in the box and it's tough to stand here now," Mjelde said. "I thought we'd get to 90 minutes and then maybe re-start." Italy will face the winner of Thursday's quarter-final clash between Sweden and England in Zurich. REUTERS

Sabalenka withdraws from US Open tune-up event in Montreal
Sabalenka withdraws from US Open tune-up event in Montreal

Straits Times

time8 hours ago

  • Straits Times

Sabalenka withdraws from US Open tune-up event in Montreal

Tennis - Wimbledon - All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, London, Britain - July 2, 2025 Belarus' Aryna Sabalenka in action during her second round match against Czech Republic's Marie Bouzkova REUTERS/Isabel Infantes/File Photo World number one Aryna Sabalenka has decided to skip the U.S. Open tune-up event in Montreal due to fatigue, Tennis Canada announced on Wednesday. The 27-year old Belarusian's decision to sit out the July 26-August 7 Canadian Open follows her semi-final appearances at Wimbledon and Berlin and after losing in the French Open final. "I'm looking forward to kicking off the North American hard-court swing, but to give myself the best chance for success this season, I've decided it's in my best interest to skip Montreal," Sabalenka said in a Tennis Canada press release. "I'll miss my amazing Canadian fans, but I'm already looking forward to seeing you all next year. Thanks for your understanding and support it means the world to me!" Tennis Canada also said Spanish world number 10 Paula Badosa, who announced this week that she has a fresh back injury, has also withdrawn from the Canadian Open. REUTERS

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