Vinicius’ hattrick inspires Real Madrid to a 5-2 comeback against Dortmund.
Real Madrid staged a stunning comeback in the Champions League on Tuesday night, overturning a two-goal deficit to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 at the Santiago Bernabéu. After falling behind in the first half with goals from Donyell Malen and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, Real Madrid stormed back with a dominant second-half performance. Vinicius Junior was the star, netting a brilliant hat-trick, as Madrid overwhelmed Dortmund. Antonio Rüdiger and Vinicius scored two quick goals just after the hour mark to level the game. Lucas Vázquez completed the turnaround in the 83rd minute before Vinicius sealed his hat-trick with two outstanding late goals. The win, a repeat of the 2024 Champions League final, showcased Real’s resilience and attacking power, leaving Dortmund unable to cope with their second-half onslaught. The victory secured another memorable European night for the reigning champions.
34'—Real Madrid 0-2 Dortmund
90+3'—Real Madrid 5-2 Dortmund
𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐚𝐧 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞…
…𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐞 pic.twitter.com/KFQtJKn8tR
— B/R Football (@brfootball) October 22, 2024
McGinn and Durán’s goals help Aston Villa maintain a perfect record in the CL.
Aston Villa’s first-ever Champions League campaign is off to a perfect start with three consecutive wins, no goals conceded, and maximum points. Villa’s 2-0 victory over Bologna on Tuesday continued their 100% record in Europe’s top club competition, their first appearance since winning the 1982 European Cup. John McGinn opened the scoring with a clever in-swinging free-kick that went untouched into the net, while Jhon Durán added a second with a volley in the 64th minute, securing his seventh goal of the season. Despite a brief VAR check for handball on McGinn’s goal, it stood. Durán, who was given a rare start ahead of Ollie Watkins, took full advantage, scoring his 7th goal of the season to secure the win. Villa are now unbeaten in ten matches across all competitions, with their last loss in August. Their win over Bologna, following victories against Young Boys and Bayern Munich, places them top of the Champions League group standings.
🎓 Three wins, zero goals conceded for Unai Emery’s Aston Villa in Champions League!
Young Boys, Bayern, Bologna beaten… and Villa keep flying in Europe 🟣🔵✨ pic.twitter.com/qN6WJvKWBr
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 22, 2024
Anthony Davies dominates as the Los Angeles Lakers defeats the Timberwolves.
The 2024-25 NBA season kicked off Tuesday with two high-profile games, highlighted by LeBron James making history alongside his son, Bronny James. Despite a tough shooting night for both teams, the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 110-103 victory in JJ Redick’s debut as Lakers head coach. The game marked the much-anticipated debut of Bronny James, who checked in alongside his father late in the second quarter, playing three scoreless minutes. While the James family captured headlines, it was Anthony Davis who dominated, leading the Lakers with 36 points and 16 rebounds, earning MVP chants from the home crowd. The Timberwolves, playing their first game since trading Karl-Anthony Towns, struggled offensively. Anthony Edwards led Minnesota with 27 points, six rebounds, and three assists, while Julius Randle scored 16 points in his Timberwolves debut.
AD with a DOMINANT performance in the Lakers' win over the Timberwolves 😤
The Lakers pick up their first win in a season opener since 2016 👀 pic.twitter.com/2ijoy5iGJ2
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 23, 2024
Real Madrid set to miss star duo ahead of crucial El Clásico.
Carlo Ancelotti will be without key players Thibaut Courtois and Rodrygo for their upcoming LaLiga Clásico against Barcelona due to muscle injuries sustained in their 5-2 Champions League win over Borussia Dortmund. Courtois strained his left adductor, the same injury that sidelined him during last month’s derby against Atletico Madrid. Rodrygo will undergo an MRI on Thursday to determine the severity of his injury, though the club remains hopeful he may return for next week’s match against Valencia. Real Madrid are also missing captain Dani Carvajal and defender David Alaba, both recovering from ACL injuries, ahead of Saturday’s clash with league leaders Barcelona. However, Morocco international Brahim Díaz has resumed training after more than a month out with a leg injury and could be available to bolster Madrid’s squad for the crucial match against their rivals.
🚨⚠️ Thibaut Courtois has suffered a muscle injury and he’s expected to miss El Clásico. pic.twitter.com/NV030vv96W
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 23, 2024
The Boston Celtics blew out the New York Knicks, tying the NBA 3-point record.
Jayson Tatum delivered a stellar performance in the Celtics’ season opener, scoring 37 points, including 8-of-11 from three-point range, along with 10 assists in a 132-109 win over the New York Knicks. Tatum led the Celtics, while Jaylen Brown contributed 23 points and seven rebounds. Derrick White added 24 points, and Jrue Holiday scored 18 on efficient 7-of-9 shooting. Boston’s three-point shooting was remarkable, hitting 29 of 61 attempts, tying the NBA record for most threes in a game when Al Horford made one with 8:54 remaining. However, they missed their final 13 attempts from deep, falling short of breaking the record. On their last possession, head coach Joe Mazzulla had Payton Pritchard dribble out the clock, opting not to go for the record. Despite that, the Celtics secured a dominant victory over one of their top Eastern Conference rivals.
Jayson Tatum raised a banner and then to work on defending the @celtics title.
☘️ 37 PTS (14-18 FGM)
☘️ 8 3PM
☘️ 10 ASTBoston knocked down 29 3-pointers, tying an NBA record, on way to a 1-0 start to the 2024-25 season. #KiaTipOff24 pic.twitter.com/DcgNR3XCIp
— NBA (@NBA) October 23, 2024