Timbers Hold Off ATX On Road

 At Q2 Stadium, Austin, Texas:

Bill Tuiloma (16') and Zac McGraw (73') each scored once as the Portland Timbers defeated Austin FC for the first time ever on the road on Wednesday in Major League Soccer action as the visitors climbed up to the seventh and final Western Conference playoff berth.

MVP candidate Sebastian Driussi scored the lone goal for the hosts in the 79th minute.

The Timbers will play back home at Providence Park for a nationally-televised encounter with Atlanta United (Sunday, 2:30 PM, FOX)

MLS: Eleven Wednesday Wins For Philly (Who Locked Up Playoff Berth), Crew, Red Bulls, Lions, DC, Dynamo, Nashville, Timbers, RSL

 Eleven games were contested on Wednesday in Major League Soccer.

At Chester, Pennsylvania:

Julian Carranza (18'), Mikael Uhre (45'+3), Daniel Gazdag (67'), and Nathan Harriel (90'+5) each scored once as the Philadelphia Union became the first Eastern Conference club to lock up a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs after their 4-1 domination of visiting Atlanta United.

At Columbus, Ohio:

Luis Diaz's goal in the 64th minute carried the Columbus Crew to a 1-0 home victory over Inter Miami.

At Montreal:

Lewis Morgan propelled the New York Red Bulls to a 1-0 road win over Montreal with his goal in the 43rd minute.

At Foxborough, Massachusetts:

The contest between the New England Revolution and visiting Chicago Fire ended in a 0-0 stalemate.

At Orlando, Florida:

Facundo Torres (53'), Ercan Kara (PK-68'), and Kyle Smith (90'+1) each scored a second-half goal as Orlando City erased a two-goal deficit and delivered a potentially crippling blow to the visiting Seattle Sounders' hopes for a 14th straight playoff appearance 3-2.

At Toronto:

Douglas Costa (24') and Riqui Puig ( 89') each scored once for the Los Angeles Galaxy as the visitors gained a 2-2 draw with Toronto FC.

Jesus Jimenez (62') and Federico Bernardeschi (PK-81') each scored once for the Reds.   

At Harrison, New Jersey:

Steven Birnbaum scored the game winner at 57 minutes as DC United stunned New York City 2-1 on the road.

At Houston:

Griffin Dorsey scored the winning goal in the 75th minute as the Houston Dynamo knocked off the visiting Los Angeles Football Club 2-1.

At Nashville, Tennessee:

A hat trick for Hany Mukhtar (PK-29', 54', 75') helped Nashville dominate the visiting Colorado Rapids 4-1.

At Austin, Texas:

Zac McGraw scored the winning goal in the 73rd minute as the Portland Timbers logged their first ever road victory over Austin FC 2-1.

At Sandy, Utah:

Sergio Cordova (7'), Jefferson Saverino (23'), and Anderson Julio (79') provided the goals as Real Salt Lake blanked visiting Minnesota United 3-0.

MLS STANDINGS:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

1.      x-Philadelphia (GP: 29; GD: +40; PTS: 57)

2.         Montreal (GP: 28; GD: +7; PTS: 49)

3.         New York Red Bulls (GP: 29; GD: +11; PTS: 47)

4.         New York City (GP: 28; GD: +11; PTS: 45)

5.         Orlando City (GP: 28; GD: -5; PTS: 42)

6.         Columbus (GP: 27; GD: +6; PTS: 39)

7.         Miami (GP: 28; GD: -11; PTS: 36)

8.          Cincinnati (GP: 27; GD: -3; PTS: 35)

9.          New England (GP: 28; GD: -3; PTS: 35)

10.        Toronto (GP: 29; GD: -5; PTS: 34)

11.         Atlanta United (GP: 28; GD: -6; PTS: 33)

12.         Charlotte (GP: 28; GD: -10; PTS: 32)

13.         Chicago (GP: 28; GD: -10; PTS: 31)

14.         DC United (GP: 28; GD: -27; PTS: 25)

NOTE:  With Cincinnati and New England level on points (35), wins (eight apiece) and goal differential (3), the Orange and Blue have scored more goals overall than the Revolution (45-39).

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

1.        x-Los Angeles Football Club (GP: 28; GD: +25; PTS: 57)

2.           Austin (GP: 28; GD: +21; PTS: 51)

3.           Minnesota United (GP: 28; GD: +4; PTS: 28)

4.           Dallas (GP: 29; GD: +7; PTS: 43)

5.           Nashville (GP: 29; GD: +8; PTS: 42)

6.           Real Salt Lake (GP: 28; GD: +2; PTS: 42)

7.           Portland (GP: 29; GD: +1; PTS: 39)

8.           Los Angeles Galaxy (GP: 27; GD: +4; PTS: 38)

9.           Vancouver (GP: 28; GD: -17; PTS: 34)

10.         Seattle (GP: 28; GD: -1; PTS: 33)

11.         Colorado (GP: 28; GD: -12; PTS: 32)

12.         Houston (GP: 28; GD: -11; PTS: 29)

13.         Kansas City (GP: 28; GD: -18; PTS: 29)

14.         San Jose (GP: 27; GD: -13; PTS: 27)

NOTES:  With Nashville and Real Salt Lake level on points (42) and wins (11), the Music City Men have the superior goal differential (+8, compared to RSL's +2); with Houston and Sporting Kansas City level on points (29) and wins (8), the Dynamo have the superior goal differential (-11, compared to SKC's -18).

x-Clinched berth in 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs

Padres Complete Sweep Of Giants In Frisco

 At Oracle Park, San Francisco:

Joe Musgrave struck out a season-high 11 batters while Manny Machado drove in three runs on Wednesday as the San Diego Padres (73-59) completed a three-game road series sweep of the San Francisco Giants (61-68) 5-4.

The Giants equaled their longest losing streak of the year (seven games) as their playoff chances are all but dead.

Wolves And Cherries Gather Goose Eggs

 At Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth, England:

AFC Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers battled to a 0-0 Wednesday English Premier League stalemate.

Monaco Fall At Home

 At Stade Louis II

Mama Balde scored the winning goal in the 48th minute on Wednesday as Troyes knocked off hosts AS Monaco 4-2 in French Ligue 1 action.

Giants Fall Again

 At Oracle Park, San Francisco:

Blake Snell allowed four hits during six shutout innings while Trent Grisham belted a two-run homer as the San Diego Padres (72-59) held off the sagging San Francisco Giants (61-77) 4-3 on the road.

Road Win For TNS

 At Park Avenue, Aberystwyth, Wales:

Ben Clark (49') and Declan McManus (70') each scored once as The New Saints blanked Aberystwyth Town 2-0 in Tuesday Welsh Premier League action.

Road Draw For Rossoneri

 At MAPEI Stadium-Citta del Tricolore, Reggio nell'Emillia, Italy:

The Tuesday Italian Serie A contest between Sassuolo and visiting AC Milan resulted in a 0-0 stalemate.

Giants Fall Again

 At Oracle Park, San Francisco:

Brandon Drury hit a two-run homer in the opening inning, then later added an RBI single as the San Diego Padres (71-59) held off the homestanding San Francisco Giants (61-66) 6-5 on Monday as the hosts dropped five straight games and nine of their last eleven as they effectively played themselves out of playoff contention.

Another Day, Another Defeat For T2

 At Hillsboro Stadium, Hillsboro, Oregon:

Joao Klauss de Mello scored twice (38', 53') on Saturday as St. Louis City 2 knocked off Portland Timbers 2 on the road, 5-3 in MLS Next Pro action.

MLS: Five Stripes Outlast DC United At Home; Lions, Galaxy Also Triumph

 Three games were played in Major League Soccer on Sunday:

At Atlanta:

Juan Jose Purata scored the game winner in the 70th minute as Atlanta United held off visiting DC United 3-2.

At Orlando, Florida:

Tesho Akindele scored the game winner in second-half stoppage time (90'+6) as Orlando City knocked off visiting New York City 2-1.

At Foxborough, Massachusetts:

Daniel Aguirre (4') and Javier Chicharito Hernandez (15') each scored once during the opening quarter-hour as the Los Angeles Galaxy held off the homestanding New England Revolution 2-1.

MLS STANDINGS:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

1.     Philadelphia (GP: 28; GD: +37; PTS: 54)

2.     Montreal (GP: 27; GD: +8; PTS: 49)

3.     New York City (GP: 27; GD: +17; PTS: 45)

4.     New York Red Bulls (GP: 28; GD+10; PTS: 44)

5.     Orlando City (GP: 27; GD: -6; PTS: 39)

6.     Miami (GP: 27; GD: -10; PTS: 36)

7.     Columbus (GP: 26; GD: +5; PTS: 36)

8.     Cincinnati (GP: 27; GD: -3; PTS: 35)

9.     New England (GP: 27; GD: -3; PTS: 34)

10.   Toronto (GP: 28; GD: -5; PTS: 33)

11.    Atlanta United (GP: 27; GD: -3; PTS: 33)

12.    Charlotte (GP: 28; GD: -10; PTS: 32)

13.    Chicago (GP: 27; GD: -10; PTS: 30)

14.    DC United (GP: 27; GD: -28; PTS: 22)

NOTES:  With Miami and Columbus level on points with 36, the Herons have won more games than the Crew (10-8); with Toronto and Atlanta United level on points with 33, the Reds have won more games (nine) than the Five Stripes (eight).

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

1.   x-Los Angeles Football Club (GP: 27; GD: +26; PTS: 57)

2.      Austin (GP: 27; GD: +22; PTS: 51)

3.      Minnesota United (GP: 27; GD: +7; PTS; 44)

4.      Dallas (GP: 29; GD: +7; PTS: 43)

5.      Nashville (GP: 28; GD: +5; PTS: 39)

6.      Real Salt Lake (GP: 27; GD: -1; PTS: 39)

7.      Los Angeles Galaxy (GP: 26; GD: +4; PTS: 37)

8.      Portland (GP: 28; GD: 0; PTS: 36)

9.      Vancouver (GP: 28; GD: -17; PTS: 34)

10.    Seattle (GP: 27; GD: 0; PTS: 33)

11.    Colorado (GP: 27; GD: -9; PTS: 32)

12.    Kansas City (GP: 28; GD: -18; PTS: 29)

13.    San Jose (GP: 27; GD: -13; PTS: 27)

14.    Houston (GP: 27; GD: -12; PTS: 16)

NOTE:  With Nashville and Real Salt Lake level on points (39) and wins (10), the Music City Men have the superior goal differential (+5, compared to RSL's -1).

x-Clinched berth in MLS Cup Playoffs

Twins Complete Three-Game Series Sweep Of Fading Giants

 At Target Field, Minneapolis:

Jake Cave homered and drove in four runs on Sunday as the Minnesota Twins (65-61) completed a three-game series sweep of the visiting, fading San Francisco Giants (61-65)

Blues Fall On Road

 At Loughview Leisure Arena, Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland:

Emmett McGuckin scored the game winner in the 64th minute as Carrick Rangers knocked off visiting Linfield 2-1 in Sunday Northern Irish Premiership action.

Bhoys Carve Up Tangerines

At Tannadice Park,  Dundee, Scotland:

Kyogo Furuhashi (15', 40', 45'+2) and Liel Abada (50', 59', 77') each produced a hat trick on Sunday as Celtic dismantled hosts Dundee United 9-0 in Scottish Premiership action.    

Tigers Win Match At Lions' Expense

 At Right to Dream Park, Farum, Denmark.

Andreas Schjelderup (11'), Mohammed Diomande (25'), and Oliver Antman (90'+1) each scored once as FC Nordsjaelland knocked off visiting FC Copenhagen 3-1 in Sunday Danish Superliga action.

Road Win For Ajax

 At Galgenwaard Stadium, Ultrecht, Neterlands:

Steven Berghuis (10') and Brian Brobbey (45'+1) each scored once on Sunday as Ajax Amsterdam  blanked hosts FC Ultrecht 2-0 in Dutch Eeredivisie action.

Anderlecht Fall In Brussels Derby

 At Joseph Marlen Stadium, Brussels:

Dante Vanzeir scored the winning goal in the 31st minute on Sunday as Union Saint-Gilloise defeated visiting RSC Anderlecht 2-1 in action from the Belgian top flight.

Blancos Too Much For Parakeets

 At RCDE Stadium, Cornella de Llobregat, Spain:

Karim Benzema scored twice (88', 90'+10) as Real Madrid defeated hosts Espanyol 3-1 in Sunday Spanish Primera action.

Wolves Settle For Home Draw With Magpies

 At Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton, England:

Allan Saint-Maximin delivered a 90th-minute equalizer on Sunday as Newcastle United gained a 1-1 English Premier League road draw with Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Ruben Neves scored Wolves' first goal of the season in the 38th minute.

Riders Knock Off BC Lions In Vancouver

 At BC Place, Vancouver, British Columbia:

In Friday Canadian Football League action, quarterback Cody Fajardo completed 79% of his passes (24 of 'em) for 321 yards and two touchdowns as the Saskatchewan Roughriders (6-5) knocked off the homestanding British Columbia Lions (8-2) 23-16.

Lions Blanked At Home

 At Jose Alvalade Stadium, Lisbon:

Steven Vitoria (60') and Juninho (63') each scored a second-half goal, three minutes apart as Chaves blanked hosts Sporting CP 2-0 in Saturday Portuguese Primeira Liga action.

Giants Fall In Extra Innings

 At Target Field, Minneapolis:

Gilberto Celestino walked in with the game-winning bases-loaded walk in the tenth inning on Saturday night as the Minnesota Twins (64-61) knocked off the visiting San Francisco Giants (61-64) 3-2.

MLS: Loons, Red Bulls, Philly, Reds, Montreal, Quakes, Nashville Were Saturday Winners

 Nine games were played in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

At Saint Paul, Minnesota:

Fafa Picault (OG-79') and Luis Amarilla (84') each scored once as Minnesota United battled back to upend the visiting Houston Dynamo 2-1.

At Charlotte, North Carolina:

Lorenzo Insigne (49') and Federico Bernardeschi (66') each scored once as Toronto FC remained very much in the playoff picture after blanking home-standing Charlotte 2-0.

At Harrison, New Jersey:

Daniel Edelman scored the winning game in the 53rd minute as the New York Red Bulls, despite finishing the match with ten men, held off visiting Inter Miami 3-1.

At Cincinnati:

In the latest edition of the Buckeye State Derby, Derrick Etienne (74') and Steven Moreira (90'+6) each scored once as the Columbus Crew gained a 2-2 road draw with Cincinnati.

Brandon Vazquez (36') and Matt Miazga (77') proved the Orange and Blue's tallies.

At Chester, Pennsylvania:

A Daniel Gazdag hat trick (9', PK-20', 83') helped carry the Philadelphia Union to a 6-0 old-time frontier-style fist beating of the visiting ten-man  Colorado Rapids.

At Chicago:

Ismael Kone (19'; ejected after picking a second yellow card late in the first half; 45'+3) and Romell Quioto (24') each scored once as Montreal doused the homestanding Chicago Fire 2-0.

At Kansas City, Kansas:

Daniel Salloi's goal in the tenth minute held up as Sporting Kansas City held off the visiting San Jose Earthquakes 2-0.

At Frisco, Texas:

Anderson Julio's equalizer in the 69th minute lifted Real Salt Lake to a 1-1 road draw with FC Dallas.

Alan Velasco scored for the Hoops at seven minutes.

At Vancouver, British Columbia:

Jack Maher scored twice (23', 49') as Nashville dominated the homestanding, ten-man Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0.

Grasshoppers Stepped On On Road

 At Stade de Geneve, Lancy, Switzerland:

Alexis Antunes (44'), Miroslav Stevanovic (79'), and Boubacar Fofana (90'+6) each scored once on Saturday as Servette defeated visiting Grasshoppers 3-1 in action from the Swiss Super League.

Smashing Win For 'Gers

 At Ibrox Stadium, Glasgow, Scotland:

Antonio Mirko Colak scored twice (39', 58') on Saturday as Rangers demolished visiting Ross County 4-0 in Scottish Premiership play.

Red Bulls Stampede Lustenau On Road

At Planet Pure Stadium, Lustenau, Austria:

Six different players, starting with Fernando dos Santos Pedro with his successfully-converted penalty kick in the 16th minute, each scored once as FC Red Bull Salzburg dismantled newly-promoted hosts Austria Lustenau 6-0 in Saturday Austrian Bundesliga action. 

Rossoneri Turn Greyhounds Into Baloney

 At San Siro Stadium, Milan, Italy:

Rafael Leao (21') and Olivier Giroud (58') each scored once on Saturday as AC Milan blanked visiting Bologna 2-0 in action from Italy's Serie A.

Bayern Held To Home Draw With Gladbach

 At Allianz Arena, Munich:

Leroy Sane's equalizer in the 83rd minute lifted Bayern Munich to a 1-1 Saturday German Bundesliga home draw with Borussia Monchengladbach. 

Marcus Thurman tallied for the guests in the 43rd minute.

TNS Hold Off Visiting Nomads

At Park Hall Stadium, Oswestry, England:

In Friday Welsh Premier League action, Jonathon Routledge scored the game winner in the 80th minute as The New Saints downed visiting Connah's Quay Nomads 2-1. 

TIMBERS PICK UP MASSIVE WIN OVER SOUNDERS, WIN FIRST CASCADIA CUP TITLE SINCE 2017

 At Providence Park, Portland, Oregon:

Dairon Asprilla (PK-41') and Sebastian Blanco (51') each scored once on Friday as the Portland Timbers came from behind to upend the visiting Seattle Sounders 2-1 in a critical Major League Soccer contest that also enabled the Timbers to win their first Cascadia Cup crown since 2017.

Yeimar Gomez delivered the lone Seattle goal at eight minutes.

The victory, which snapped a four-game winning streak by the visitors in this series, moved the Timbers, for the time being, into the seventh and final Western Conference playoff berth.

Next up for Portland, a road match this coming Wednesday with Austin FC at 6:00 PM Pacific Time (Timbers TV Network via KPDX-TV, Portland-Vancouver/ESPN+/

MLS: Friday Home Wins For ATX, Timbers (Who Win Cascadia Cup)

 Two games were contested on Friday in Major League Soccer.

At Austin, Texas:

Maximiliano Urriti scored twice (47, 51') as Austin FC dominated the visiting Los Angeles Football Club 4-1.

At Portland, Oregon:

Goals courtesy of Dairon Asprilla (PK-41') and Sebastian Blanco (51') enabled the Portland Timbers to knock off the visiting Seattle Sounders 2-1 and win their first Cascadia Cup title since 2017.

Twins Blow Out Giants To Start Weekend Series

 At Target Field, Minneapolis:

Gilberto Celestino hit a bases-clearing double and Gary Sanchez added a two-run homer, all during a six-run third inning on Friday as the Minnesota Twins (63-63) ended a six-game losing skid by destroying the fading San Francisco Giants (61-63) 9-0 at home.

Carlos Correa and Kyle Garrick each homered for the Twins.

Europa Conference League Group-Stage Play

 At Istanbul, Turkey:

The draw for the Europa Conference League's Group Stage took place on Friday.

GROUP A:

Istanbul Basaksehir (Turkey)

Fiorentina (Italy)

Heart of Midlothian (Scotland)

RFS (Latvia)

GROUP B:

West Ham United (England)

FCSB (Romania)

RSC Anderlecht (Belgium)

Silkeborg (Denmark)

GROUP C:

Villarreal (Spain)

Hapoel Be'er Sheva (Israel)

Austria Vienna (Austria)

Lech Poznan (Poland)

GROUP D:

Partizan Belgrade (Serbia)

FC Cologne (Germany)

Nice (France)

Slovacko (Czech Republic)

GROUP E:

AZ Alkmaar (Netherlands)

Apollon Limassol (Cyprus)

FC Vaduz (Liechtenstein)

Dnipro-1 (Ukraine)

GROUP F:

KAA Gent (Belgium)

Molde FK (Norway)

Shamrock Rovers (Republic of Ireland)

Djurgarden (Sweden)

GROUP G:

Slavia Prague (Czech Republic)

CFR Cluj (Romania)

Sivasspor (Turkey)

Ballkani (Kosovo)

GROUP H:

FC Basel (Switzerland)

Slovan Bratislava (Slovakia)

Zalgiris (Lithuania)

Pyunik (Armenia)

The action starts on Thursday, September 8.

Europa League Group-Stage Draw

 At Istanbul, Turkey:

The draw for the Europa League's Group Stage took place on Friday.

GROUP A:

Arsenal (England)

PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands)

Bodo/Glimt (Norway)

FC Zurich (Switzerland)

GROUP B:

Dyanmo Kiev (Ukraine)

Rennes (France)

Fenerbahce (Turkey)

AEK Larnaca (Cyprus)

GROUP C:

AS Roma (Italy; 2021-22 Europa Conference League winners)

Ludogorets Razgrad (Bulgaria)

Real Betis (Spain)

HJK Helsinki (Finland)

GROUP D:

Sporting Braga (Portugal)

Malmo FF (Sweden)

Union Berlin (Germany)

Union Saint-Gilloise (Belgium)

GROUP E:

Manchester United (England)

Real Sociedad (Spain)

FC Sheriff (Moldova)

Omonia (Cyprus)

GROUP F:

Lazio (Italy)

Feyenoord Rotterdam (Netherlands)

FC Midtjylland (Denmark)

Sturm Graz (Austria)

GROUP G:

Olympiacos (Greece)

Qarabag (Azerbaijan)

SC Freiburg (Germany)

Nantes (France)

GROUP H:

Red Star Belgrade (Serbia)

AS Monaco (France)

Ferencvaros (Hungary)

Trabzonspor (Turkey)

The action starts on September 8.

Can Rural Illinois Break Away........

 From a state dominated by corrupt, Communist-occupied Chicago?

Mass Annihilation

 Is this the fault of the masses?

Europa Conference League Playoff Round: 22 Teams Head To Group Stage

22 teams advanced to the group stage of the Europa Conference League on Thursday. 

Europa League Playoff Round: Sheriff, Yellow Canaries, HJK, Malmo, Zurich, Legend Advance To Group Stage

 The final ten Europa League group-stage berths were decided on Thursday as ten games were contested.

At Larnaca, Cyprus:

Adam Cyursco (21'), Rafael Lopes (45'), and Nikos Englezou (78') each scored once as AEK Larnaca dominated visiting Dnipro-1 by a 3-0 in game two and eliminated the Ukrainian club 5-1 on aggregate.

At Nicosia, Cyprus:

Andronikos Kakoullis (18') and Charlalambos Charlalambous (36') each scored once as Omonia posted a second 2-0 victory over KAA Gent, this time at home, and ousted the Belgian club 4-0 on aggregate.

At Istanbul, Turkey:

Irfan Can Kahveci scored twice (44', 70') as Fenerbahce dominated visiting Austria Vienna 4-1 in game two of their series, in which the Yellow Canaries finished off the Violets 6-1 on aggregate.

At Edinburgh, Scotland:

Fabian Rohner scored the only goal of the match at 80 minutes as FC Zurich defeated 10-man Heart of Midlothian 1-0 on the road in game two and won their series 3-1 on aggregate.

At Silkeborg, Denmark:

Abdul Abubakari scored the series-winning goal in the 40th minute as HJK Helsinki gained a game-two 1-1 road draw with Silkeborg, good enough for them to win their series 2-1 on aggregate.

At Sivas, Turkey:

Veljko Birmacevic (76') and Isaac Kiese Thelin (90') each scored once as Malmo FF blanked Sivasspor 2-0 in game two and won their series 5-1 on aggregate.

At Dublin, Republic of Ireland:

Despite dropping a 1-0 game-two road decision to Shamrock Rovers, Fenercvaros still won their series 4-1 on aggregate.

At Piraeus, Greece:

After a second 1-1 regulation draw in game two, the series between Olympiacos and visiting Apollon Limassol played 30 scoreless minutes of overtime, then, in the penalty-kick shootout, the Legend, outgunned their Cypriot guests 3-1.  Yann M'Vila, Konrad de la Fuente, and Gonzalo Avila did their job in the shootout.

At Chisinau, Moldova (due to Transnistria's involvement in the Russian invasion of Ukraine):

Following a second 0-0 stalemate, followed by 30 scoreless overtime minutes, Kay Tejan, Patrick Kpozo, and Stjepen Radelijic converted their spot kicks as FC Sheriff won the penalty-kick shootout over visiting Pyunik 3-2. 

At Vilnius, Lithuania:

After a 3-2 game-two regulation decision in favor of Zalgiris over visiting Ludogorets Razgrad that leveled the series at 3-3 on aggregate, Olivier Verdon scored the series winner at the tail end of the second overtime period (120') to carry the Bulgarian club into the Europa League's group stage 4-3 on aggregate.

UEFA Champions League Group Stage: Set Up

 The group stage for the upcoming UEFA Champions League's Group Stage was drawn on Thursday at Istanbul, Turkey.

GROUP A:

Ajax Amsterdam (Netherlands)

Liverpool (England)

Napoli (Italy)

Rangers (Scotland)

GROUP B:

FC Porto (Portugal)

Atletico Madrid (Spain)

Bayer Leverkusen (Germany)

Club Brugge (Belgium)

GROUP C:

Bayern Munich (Germany)

FC Barcelona (Spain)

Inter Milan (Italy)

FC Viktoria Plzen (Czech Republic)

GROUP D:

Eintracht Frankfurt (Germany; 2021-22 Europa League winners)

Tottenham Hotspur (England)

Sporting CP (Portugal)

Marseille (France)               

GROUP E:

AC Milan (Italy)

Chelsea (England)

FC Red Bull Salzburg (Austria)

Dinamo Zagreb (Croatia)

GROUP F:

Real Madrid (Spain; defending champions)

RB Leipzig (Germany)

Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukraine)

Celtic (Scotland)

GROUP G:

Manchester City (England)

Sevilla (Spain)

Borussia Dortmund (Germany)

FC Copenhagen (Denmark)

GROUP H:

Paris Saint-Germain (France)

Juventus (Italy)

SL Benfica (Portugal)

Maccabi Haifa (Israel)

The action starts on Tuesday, September 6.

Tigers Handcuff Giants, Gain Split of Series

At Comerica Park, Detroit:

Matt Manning threw six scoreless innings on Wednesday while Victor Reyes and Will Castro each drove in two runs during a five-run fifth inning as the Detroit Tigers (48-77) defeated the visiting San Francisco Giants (61-62) 6-1. 

Farewell.......

 To a Kansas City Chiefs legend.

UEFA Champions League Playoff Round: Lions, 'Gers, Dinamo Zagreb Advance To Group Stage

 Three Wednesday games were contested as the UEFA Champions League's playoff round concluded.

Champions Path:

At Zagreb, Croatia:

After regulation goals from Dislav Orsic (4') and Bruno Petkovic (35') enabled Dinamo Zagreb to outlast visiting Bodo/Glimt 2-1 in regulation of game two, the Croatian club obtained overtime goals from Josip Drmic (117') and Petar Bockaj (120') and Dinamo Zagreb won the series 4-2 on aggregate.

At Trabzon, Turkey:

A game-two 0-0 road stalemate with Trabzonspor proved good enough for FC Copenhagen as the Lions won their series 2-1 on aggregate.

At Eindhoven, Netherlands:

Antonio-Mirko Colak scored the series winner at 60 minutes as Rangers knocked off PSV Eindhoven 1-0 on the road in game two and ousted the Dutch club 3-2 on aggregate as they advanced to their first group-stage appearance since 2010.

Giants Top Motor City Kitties In Detroit, Climb Back Up To .500

 At Comerica Park, Detroit:

Seven strong innings from Carlos Rodon, along with an Evan Longoria home run, helped pace the San Francisco Giants (61-61) to a 3-1 Tuesday road victory over the Detroit Tigers (47-77).

Europa Conference League Playoff Round: Djurgarden Topple APOEL For Group Stage Berth

 At Nicosia, Cyprus:

Nils Andersson (68') and Joel Asoro (90'+1) as Djurgarden, despite dropping a game-two 3-2 road decision to APOEL FC, still won their series 5-3 on aggregate.

UEFA Champions League Playoff Round: Plzen, Maccabi Haifa, Benfica Advance To Group Stage

 The UFA Champions League's playoff round resumed on Tuesday with three games .

Champions Path:

At Plzen, Czech Republic:

After a scoreless series opener in Azerbaijan, Jan Kopic (58') and Jan Kiment (73') each scored once as FC Viktoria Plzen defeated visiting Qarabag 2-1 in game two and won their series by that same score on aggregate.

At Belgrade, Serbia:

Daniel Sundgren (45'+5) and Milan Pavkov (OG-90') each scored once as Maccabi Haifa gained a 2-2 game-two road draw with Red Star Belgrade and won their series 5-4 on aggregate.

League Path:

At Lisbon, Portugal:

Nicolas Olamendi (27'), Rafa Silva (40'), and David Neres (42') each produced a first-half goal as SL Benfica dominated visiting Dynamo Kiev 3-0 in game two and ousted the Ukrainian club 5-0 on aggregate.

Lew Rockwell Was Right

 What happened to Alex is just part of the globalists' war on free speech (and the Magna Carta).

Good Riddance!

 The son of a bitch was a quack and aspiring mass murderer.

This man has committed crimes against humanity.

See you in hell, doc!

Giants Win Wild 11-Inning Encounter With Rockies

At Coors Field, Denver:

Wilmer Flores delivered a go-ahead sacrifice fly that scored the winning run in the 11th inning as the San Francisco Giants (60-61) outdistanced the homestanding Colorado Rockies (53-70) on Sunday to salvage one game of their three-game road series.

Evan Longoria smacked a grand slam homer for the Giants.

Happy Birthday!

 To America's greatest living statesman.

Bhoys Blank Hearts At Home

 At Celtic Park, Glasgow, Scotland:

Kyogo Furuhashi (13') and Giorgos Giakoumakis (90+4) each scored once on Sunday as Celtic posted a 2-0 Scottish Premiership blanking of visiting Heart of Midlothian.

Linfield Give Newry City The Blues

 At the Showgrounds, Newry, Northern Ireland:

In Sunday Northern Irish Premiership, Eetu Vertainen scored twice (16', 26') as Linfield held off hosts Newry City 2-1.

Ajax Pick Up Tough Road Win Against Sparta Rotterdam

 At Sparta-Stadion Het Kasteel, Rotterdam, Netherlands:

Steven Bergwijn scored the only goal of the match in the 37th minute on Sunday as Ajax Amsterdam defeated homestanding Sparta Rotterdam 1-0 Dutch Eredivisie action.

Road Draw For Rossoneri

 At Gewiss Stadium, Bergamo, Italy:

Ismael Bennacer's equalizer in the 68th minute lifted AC Milan to a Sunday Italian Serie A road draw with Atalanta.

Ruslan Malinovskyi talled for The Goddess in the 29th minute.

Bayern Way, Way Too Much For Bochum

 At Vonovia Ruhrstadion, Bochum, Germany:

Sadio Mane scored twice (42', PK-60') as Bayern Munich nuked VfL Bochum 7-0 on the road in Sunday German Bundesliga action.

Timbers Smothered By Sporting KC On Road

 At Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas:

William Agada scored twice (31', 74') while Andreu Fontas (40') and Erik Thommy (42') tallied once apiece on Sunday night as Sporting Kansas City dominated the visiting Portland Timbers 4-1 in Major League Soccer action.

Sebastian Blanco scored the lone Timbers goal in the opening minute of second-half stoppage time.

The Timbers face a massive six-point contest (as well as Cascadia Cup clash) at home against their arch-rivals, the Seattle Sounders this coming Friday in a nationally-telecast match (7:00 PM Pacific Time, ESPN)

MLS: Triumphant Sunday For NYC, Lions, SKC, Nashville

 Five games were contested in Major League Soccer on Sunday.

At Columbus, Ohio:

After a lengthy weather delay, Santiago Sosa (21', Juan Jose Purata (77') each scored once as Atlanta United gained a 2-2 road draw with the Columbus Crew.

Cucho Hernandez (66', 72') scored both Crew goals.

At Bridgeview, Illinois (due to poor surface conditions at Soldier Field):

Gabriel Pereira dos Santos (16') and Santiago Rodriguez (46') each scored once as New York City blanked the Chicago Fire 2-0 on the road.

At Charlotte, North Carolina:

Tesho Akindele scored the game winner at 89 minutes as Orlando City picked up a critical road victory, 2-1 at Charlotte's expense.

At Kansas City, Kansas;

Walter Agada scored twice (31', 75') as Sporting Kansas City delivered a 4-1 beatdown on the visiting Portland Timbers

At Nashville, Tennessee:

Hany Mukhtar scored twice (5', 33') as Nashville demolished visiting FC Dallas 4-0.

MLS STANDINGS:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

1.     Philadelphia (GP: 27; GD: +31; PTS: 51)

2.     Montreal (GP: 26; GD; +6; PTS: 46)

3.     New York City (GP: 26; GD: +18; PTS: 45)

4.     New York Red Bulls (GP: 27; GD: +8; PTS: 41)

5.     Orlando City (GP: 26; GD: -7; PTS: 36)

6.     Miami (GP: 26; GD: -8; PTS: 36)

7.     Columbus (GP: 25; GD: +5; PTS: 35)

8.     New England (GP: 26; GD: -2; PTS: 34)

9.     Cincinnati (GP: 26; GD: -3; PTS: 34)

10.   Charlotte (GP: 27; GD: -8; PTS: 32)

11.   Toronto (GP: 27; GD: -7; PTS: 30)

12.   Chicago (GP: 27; GD; -8; PTS: 30)

13.   Atlanta United (GP: 26; GD: -4; PTS: 30)

14.   DC United (GP: 26; GD: -27; PTS: 22)

NOTES:  With Orlando and Miami level on points (36) and wins (ten), the Lions have the superior goal differential (-7, compared to the Herons' -8); with New  England and Cincinnati level on points (34) and wins (eight apiece), the Revolution have the superior goal differential (-2, compared to Cincy's -3); with Toronto and Chicago level on points (30) and wins (eight apiece), the Reds have the superior goal differential (-7, compared to the Fire's -8).

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

1.   x-Los Angeles Football Club (GP: 26; GD: +29; PTS: 57)

2.      Austin (GP: 26; GD: +19; PTS: 48)

3.      Dallas (GP: 28; GD: +7; PTS: 42)

4.      Minnesota (GP: 26; GD: +6; PTS: 41)

5.      Real Salt Lake (GP: 26; GD: -1; PTS; 38)

6.      Nashville (GP: 27; GD: +2; PTS: 36)

7.      Los Angeles Galaxy (GP: 25; GD: +3; PTS: 34)

8.      Vancouver (GP: 27; GD: -14; PTS: 34)

9.      Seattle (GP: 26; GD: +1; PTS: 33)

10.    Portland (GP: 27; GD: -1; PTS: 33)

11.    Colorado (GP: 26; GD: -3; PTS: 32)

12.    San Jose (GP: 26; GD: -12; PTS: 27)

13.    Houston (GP: 26; GD: -11; PTS: 26)

14.    Kansas City (GP: 27; GD: -19; PTS: 7)

NOTES:  With the Los Angeles Galaxy and Vancouver level on points with 34, the Galaxy have won more games than the Whitecaps (10-9); with Seattle and Portland level on points with 33, the Sounders have more wins than the Timbers (10-7).

x-Clinched berth in 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs

Has The FBI Become Senile Joe Biden's Gestapo?

 Sure as hell looks like it.

Rockies Hold Off Giants

 At Coors Field, Denver:

Brendan Rodgers drove in Wynton Bernard with his fourth base hit of the contest in the tenth inning on Saturday as the Colorado Rockies (53-69) knocked off the visiting San Francisco Giants (59-61) 4-3.

MLS: Philly, Montreal, Herons, Loons, Quakes Gather Saturday Wins; LAFC Clinch Playoff Berth Despite Falling To Quakes

 Eight games were contested in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

At Harrison, New Jersey:

Patryk Klimala converted a penalty kick in the 23rd minute, enabling the New York Red Bulls to gain a 1-1 home draw with Cincinnati.

Matt Miazga scored for the guests in the 13th minute.

At Washington:

Julian  Carranza produced a hat trick (47', 70', 74.) as the Philadelphia Union scored thrice in each half en route to a 6-0 road dismantling of woeful DC United.

At Montreal:

Romell Quioto scored twice  (39', 55') as Montreal demolished the visiting New England Revolution 4-0. 

At Fort Lauderdale, Florida:

Ariel Lassiter scored the winning goal in the 44th minute to carry Inter Miami past visiting Toronto 2-1.

At Saint Paul, Minnesota:

Franco Fragapane scored the game winner at 62 minutes as Minnesota United upended visiting Austin 2-1.

At Commerce City, Colorado:

Sebastian Ferreira's stoppage-time equalizer (90+5') lifted the Houston Dynamo to a 1-1 road draw with ten-man Colorado.

Lalas Abubakar scored for the Rapids in the 48th minute.

At Sandy, Utah:

Julian Gressel's equalizer in the 87th minute lifted the Vancouver Whitecaps to a 1-1 road deadlock with Real Salt Lake.

Sergio Cordova scored for the hosts in the 61st minute.

At San Jose, California:

Cade Cowell scored the game winner in the 77th minute as the San Jose Earthquakes shocked the visiting Los Angeles Football Club 2-1.

LAFC, despite the defeat (in which they were reduced to ten men), still became the first club to lock up a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs.