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Via Vosloo thrashed Ngozi FC (wearing blue soccer kit) by 4-2, in the matches played at Vosloorus Ground D. Photo by Happy Mnguni

INSPIRING soccer stars are showcasing their talents in soccer tournaments played in and around Ekurhuleni.

These games are a special treat for the fans, who spend time watching kasi flava football on the dusty grounds of Duduza, Vosloorus, Kwa-Thema, and Katlehong.

The players displayed their skills with every remarkable passage of play, including tsamayas, vula vala, showboating skills, and countless backheels.

The delighted fans whistled, cheered, and applauded the exciting talent, appreciating what they call pure kasi football at its best.

On Thursday, 26 December, most of the tournaments hosted knockout matches.

Lebo Matshaba of Metro Stars tussles with Springs Highlanders defender Thabiso Moselle during the match played at Entokozweni Sports Ground in Kwa-Thema. Photo by Happy Mnguni

Soccer fans came in numbers to watch soccer games at Entokozweni Sports Ground in Kwa-Thema. Photo by Happy Mnguni

Bishop Israel Makamu the presenter of Rea Tsotella on Moja Love and his children were among the soccer spectators at the Somhlola Ground in Katlehong, in Ekurhuleni. Photo by Happy Mnguni

In Duduza, Italian 2 Touch, Atchaar Boys, Vurvai FC, and FC Bayern have qualified for the last eight of the Diski Nine-Nine Festive Games.

The four teams defeated their opponents in the matches played at the Blue Gumview Grounds in Duduza, Ekurhuleni.

Atchaar Boys beat Wattville 2-0, the defending champions Vurvai FC won 5-4 on penalties against Zwezwe Nation, Italian 2 Touch defeated Youth Life 2-1, while Bayern thrashed Snack is a Snack FC 3-1.

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In Vosloorus, in the Elkasico Festive Games’ last 16, Super 10 beat Spruitview XI 3-1 and Via Vosloo thrashed Ngozi FC 4-2 in the matches played at Vosloorus D Ground.

Ama 2k FC player Sandile Tshabalala displayed showboating skills while Jozi Express FC player Brian Madanire is watching during the match played at Somhlolo Ground in Katehong, Ekurhuleni. Photo by Happy Mnguni

Italian 2 Touch FC player (wearing white) tussling with Youth Life Player during the Diski Nine-Nine Festive Games played at the Blue Gumview Grounds in Duduza, Ekurhuleni on Thursday, 26 December. Photo by Happy Mnguni

In Kwa-Thema, Metro Stars thrashed Springs Highlanders 3-0, Izinyosi FC beat Underdogs 4-1, Afro FC beat Atchaar Boys 1-0, and By Fire by Force FC beat Lophalagezipho FC 3-2.

The winning teams have qualified to play in the Nomdayi Festive Games last eight. The matches were played at Entokozweni Sports Ground in Kwa-Thema.

At Somhlolo Ground in Katlehong, in the I Makamo Festive Games, Ama 2k FC played to a 1-all draw with Jozi Express FC, Ruby FC beat Man City 1-0, Ayeza Amazi walloped Ayeye FC 3-1, and Mountain Robbers beat Maputo FC 3-1.

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Source: https://www.snl24.com/dailysun/news/enjoy-kasi-soccer-talent-at-ekurhulenis-festive-football-tournaments-20241226

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Boca Juniors, thronged the neighborhood, waving flags, playing trumpets, and chanting in unison. The streets and sidewalks radiating out of the team’s stadium — one of the most venerated in Argentina — became a blur of yellow and dark blue, the team’s colors.

The euphoria on display was a reminder that in this country of World Cup champions — like Lionel Messi and Diego Maradona — no other cultural institution can bring people together the way soccer can. That’s true even during difficult times.

Having just finished his first year in office, far-right President Javier Milei has enacted ambitious fiscal reforms and spending cuts. Those measures successfully tamed runaway inflation, but they came at a cost. Unemployment is up and GDP is down. And Argentina recently tallied its highest poverty rate in more than 20 years.

Those troubles were not top-of-mind for soccer fanatic Andres Escobar, who drove 250 miles to attend the gathering in La Boca.

“This is a party,” he said. “This is part of the folklore of Boca.”

On game days, fans like Escobar rally in the street for hours and then head toward the team’s home stadium, which doubles as an iconic Buenos Aires monument. It’s called La Bombonera, or the “box of chocolates.”

Painted blue and yellow, the Bombonera isn’t modern or glitzy. It’s not even the city’s biggest stadium. But this 84-year-old structure has built a legacy as the liveliest place to watch soccer. Its unique architecture has something to do with it. The stands are dizzyingly steep, which allows fans to pack in close to the action.

Many people in Argentina say soccer is the country’s national religion. If that were true, then the Bombonera would be its Holy See. It helps that the stadium was, for a long time, the professional home of soccer legend Maradona.

Maradona passed away in 2020, but there are shrines in his honor across the country.

In adjacent balconies facing the Bombonera, a life-sized replica of the revered soccer star stands next to that of another famous Argentine: Pope Francis.

Pablo Lisotto covers Boca Juniors for Argentina’s biggest newspaper, La Nacion.

In his view, attending a game at the Bombonera is a near-religious experience. Fans get so excited, jumping and cheering, that they shake the stands. 

Tickets can be very expensive. “But it’s worth every cent,” Lisotto said.

Perhaps no one embodies the devotion of the fans inside the Bombonera better than Carlos Arnaiz. A 72-year-old accountant, Arnaiz first watched a Boca game in the stadium in 1968. Since then, he has missed only a couple of the more than 1,000 games held at the Bombonera.

“It’s like Sunday mass,” he said. “The Bombonera is a mystical place. It’s a temple. To miss a Boca game, for me, it’s sacrilegious. It’s a stain on my resume as a fan.”

During games, Arnaiz doesn’t just sit back and watch. Instead, he belts out pro-Boca chants. His singing has earned him a nickname: the tenor of the Bombonera.

So, can sporting fandom be compared to a religious faith? Rebecca Alpert, a professor of religion at Temple University, said the answer is yes.

“It gives us what I call the three B’s. It’s a place to believe, it’s a way to behave and it’s a way to belong. And if you think about religion functioning that way, then sport absolutely, for many people, functions as a religion in their lives.”

For diehard fans like those in Argentina and elsewhere, stadiums can hold extraordinary meaning.

“I watch people walk into baseball parks and just have this experience of feeling like they are in a place where they experience transcendence,” Alpert said. “They speak of the beauty of the place and the meaning of the place.”

Sport is like religion in another important way, Alpert said. Both institutions give people a space where they can come together and commune with one another.

Back outside the Bombonera, Boca fans said that love for their team transcends class, politics and generations. 

“We don’t treat people differently here,” Boca fan Manuel Alfaro said. “We all have the same jersey. We’re all blue and yellow.”

Whenever he gets to witness a win at the stadium, Alfaro said he feels like he’s floating for at least a week afterward.

Arnaiz, the tenor of the Bombonera, said he feels drained. Happy, but drained. 

“The emotions are too intense.”

Source: https://admin.theworld.org/stories/2024/12/26/this-aging-buenos-aires-stadium-continues-to-be-the-undisputed-temple-of-soccer

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Why Altidore joined Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady in buying a stake in the NFL team, and how he views his USMNT legacy

Source: https://www.goal.com/en-za/lists/weston-mckennie-christian-pulisic-usmnt-jozy-altidore-investing-buffalo-bills-part-owner-vince-carter-tracy-mcgrady-nba-toronto-fc-toronto-raptors/blt054ad235d6016eb2

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Muhammad Abu Fani, an Israeli national soccer player, said he was humiliated by a Border Police officer in Jerusalem, Israeli public broadcaster KAN reported on Thursday. 

According to KAN, Yesh Atid MK Simon Davidson, who knows Abu Fani personally, called on National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir to investigate the situation. 

In a statement to Ben-Gvir, Davidson shared that Abu Fani and his cousin traveled to Jerusalem to pray, where he was publicly humiliated at the Lion’s Gate of the Old City by a Border Police officer.

Abu Fani alleged that the guard yelled at and teased him and threatened to ban him from entering Jerusalem for a year, all without legal grounds, KAN reported. 

Davidson wrote, “This behavior is unacceptable. It’s a serious violation of human dignity, especially as it involves an athlete who represents the State of Israel. Muhammad Abu Fani, an Arab-Israeli player who plays professionally in Hungary, is an important figure working to promote coexistence and unity between Arab and Jewish communities.”

“Incidents like this harm him personally and undermine broader efforts to foster integration and equality in Israeli society,” Davidson continued.

In addition to demanding an investigation, KAN reported that Davidson also summoned the officer in question to issue a formal apology to Abu Fani and is now working to implement ways to prevent similar incidents in the future. 

“Events like this tarnish Israel’s image, threaten our social cohesion, and undermine public trust in the authorities. I demand swift and decisive action to address this incident and prevent recurrence,” Davidson wrote, according to KAN.

Israel Police stated in response, “The incident will be thoroughly investigated, and lessons will be drawn from the findings. Border Police officers operate in complex circumstances in Jerusalem’s Old City, conducting rigorous checks to maintain public order and security while ensuring freedom of worship.”

 Ben-Gvir responded to Davidson’s request for an investigation, saying he believed the Border Police officer acted appropriately.

“I fully support the Border Police officer in this case,” Ben-Gvir said. “It seems Abu Fani failed to properly identify himself and showed disrespect to the officer. Under my leadership, no one—not even a soccer player—will disparage a Border Police officer.”

Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-835007

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For the first time in Premier League history, Fulham emerged victorious from Stamford Bridge, with a 2-1 win over Chelsea.

The Blues started Boxing Day strong with a beauty of a goal by Cole Palmer to open the scoring in the 16th minute. The hosts looked dangerous in the opening half hour, but they weren’t able to increase their lead.

The script flipped in the second half. Fulham returned from the dressing room and began to take control of the game. Despite both teams trading chances, the visitors looked like the better team for the remainder of the night. Finally, in the 82nd minute, Harry Wilson tied the game with a goal that had been brewing the entire second half.

Chelsea had a chance to regain the lead, but Bernd Leno denied Jadon Sancho a minute before stoppage time. When the draw appeared to be cemented, Fulham caught Chelsea’s defense on the back foot and Rodrigo Muniz scored the winner in the 95th minute, sending the visiting fans into a frenzy.

It’s the first Fulham victory away at Chelsea since 1979 and Marco Silva’s men now find themselves eighth on the table, equal on points with reigning champions Manchester City. For Enzo Manresca’s Blues, it’s a worrying defeat given the manner in which the team looked in the second half. Chelsea have now dropped points in consecutive games and could be overtaken in the standings by Arsenal if Mikel Arteta’s side beat Ipswich Town on Friday.

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*Ratings provided by FotMob*

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Player of the Match—Bernd Leno (Fulham)

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Source: https://www.si.com/soccer/chelsea-1-2-fulham-player-ratings-12-26-24

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Manchester United faces Wolverhampton in a Premier League soccer match on Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024 (12/26/24) at Molineux Stadium in Wolverhampton, England.

How to watch: Fans can watch the match via a free trial to DIRECTV Stream or fuboTV.

Here’s what you need to know:

What: Premier League match

Who: Manchester United vs. Wolves

When: Thursday, Dec. 26, 2024 (12/26/24)

Time: 12:30 p.m.

Where: Molineux Stadium

TV: USA Network

Live stream: DIRECTV Stream or fuboTV.

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Here’s a recent soccer story from the AP:

MANCHESTER, England (AP) — Marcus Rashford was left out of the Manchester United squad for a third straight match ahead of Bournemouth’s visit in the Premier League on Sunday.

Rashford was absent for the 2-1 win at Manchester City in the league last weekend as well as the 4-3 loss at Tottenham in the English League Cup in midweek. United manager Ruben Amorim cited “selection” reasons for Rashford’s absence in both cases.

On Tuesday, the 27-year-old Rashford discussed the possibility of leaving United in an interview with journalist Henry Winter that was published in a post on X.

“For me, personally, I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps,” Rashford was quoted as saying. “When I leave it’s going to be ‘no hard feelings.’”

The 27-year-old Rashford, who is a graduate of United’s famed academy, is under contract until 2028.

Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription. Cayden Steele can be reached [email protected].

Source: https://www.nj.com/sports/2024/12/manchester-united-vs-wolves-free-live-stream-122624-how-to-watch-premier-league-soccer-match.html

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