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Forest beats Villa in Europa League semifinal first-leg; Palace wins Conference League away leg  Chris Wood scored from the penalty spot to give Nottingham Forest a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in the first leg of their all-English Europa League semifinal on Thursday.In a matchup of two teams hoping to revive former European glory, the win at the City Ground put Forest a step closer to what would be its first continental competition final in 46 years.Wood fired his 71st-minute penalty high into the net, giving goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez no chance to save after defender Lucas Digne was whistled for handball.“It’s nice to have the advantage but going to Villa Park will be a tough game,” the New Zealand striker told the        TNT Sports. “But we’ve done the job here at home and now hopefully, we’ll build into next week.”Vítor Pereira’s team stretched its unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions. Forest visits Chelsea in the Premier League on Monday before the semifinal second leg in Birmingham next Thursday.Forest is in a relegation fight — currently five points above the Premier League drop zone. The winner of the Europa League title earns a spot in next season’s Champions League. That could create a scenario in which Forest gets relegated to England’s second division but also plays in Europe’s top club competition.Forest has returned to Europe after 30 years to reach its fourth semifinal, but first since the 1984 UEFA Cup. That was after Forest dominated the European Cup — the predecessor of the Champions League — and won the trophy in 1979 and 1980. Villa became the European champion two years later.Villa sits fifth in the Premier League and stands a good chance of qualifying for the Champions League domestically.Villa coach Unai Emery has won the Europa League title four times — thrice with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.In the other semifinal, Braga beat Freiburg 2-1 after substitute Mario Dorgeles netted the winner in second-half stoppage time in Portugal.At 1-1, Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu denied Braga a golden opportunity to restore a lead by diving to his right to save a spot kick by Rodrigo Zalazar.The Portuguese side hopes to advance to the final again after it lost to domestic rival Porto 1-0 in the 2011 title match.The second legs are next Thursday and the final is in Istanbul on May 20.In the third-tier Conference League, Ismaïla Sarr scored in the opening minute as Crystal Palace beat Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 in the opening leg of their semifinal.Daichi Kamada and Jorgen Strand Larsen also scored for Palace after Oleh Ocheretko had equalized for Shakhtar.The game was played in Krakow, Poland, because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The second leg is next Thursday in London.Rayo Vallecano beat Strasbourg 1-0 in the Thursday’s other semifinal.The final is on May 27 in Leipzig, Germany.Published on May 01, 2026  #Forest #beats #Villa #Europa #League #semifinal #firstleg #Palace #wins #Conference #League #leg

Forest beats Villa in Europa League semifinal first-leg; Palace wins Conference League away leg

Chris Wood scored from the penalty spot to give Nottingham Forest a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in the first leg of their all-English Europa League semifinal on Thursday.

In a matchup of two teams hoping to revive former European glory, the win at the City Ground put Forest a step closer to what would be its first continental competition final in 46 years.

Wood fired his 71st-minute penalty high into the net, giving goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez no chance to save after defender Lucas Digne was whistled for handball.

“It’s nice to have the advantage but going to Villa Park will be a tough game,” the New Zealand striker told the TNT Sports. “But we’ve done the job here at home and now hopefully, we’ll build into next week.”

Vítor Pereira’s team stretched its unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions. Forest visits Chelsea in the Premier League on Monday before the semifinal second leg in Birmingham next Thursday.

Forest is in a relegation fight — currently five points above the Premier League drop zone. The winner of the Europa League title earns a spot in next season’s Champions League. That could create a scenario in which Forest gets relegated to England’s second division but also plays in Europe’s top club competition.

Forest has returned to Europe after 30 years to reach its fourth semifinal, but first since the 1984 UEFA Cup. That was after Forest dominated the European Cup — the predecessor of the Champions League — and won the trophy in 1979 and 1980. Villa became the European champion two years later.

Villa sits fifth in the Premier League and stands a good chance of qualifying for the Champions League domestically.

Villa coach Unai Emery has won the Europa League title four times — thrice with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.

In the other semifinal, Braga beat Freiburg 2-1 after substitute Mario Dorgeles netted the winner in second-half stoppage time in Portugal.

At 1-1, Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu denied Braga a golden opportunity to restore a lead by diving to his right to save a spot kick by Rodrigo Zalazar.

The Portuguese side hopes to advance to the final again after it lost to domestic rival Porto 1-0 in the 2011 title match.

The second legs are next Thursday and the final is in Istanbul on May 20.

In the third-tier Conference League, Ismaïla Sarr scored in the opening minute as Crystal Palace beat Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 in the opening leg of their semifinal.

Daichi Kamada and Jorgen Strand Larsen also scored for Palace after Oleh Ocheretko had equalized for Shakhtar.

The game was played in Krakow, Poland, because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The second leg is next Thursday in London.

Rayo Vallecano beat Strasbourg 1-0 in the Thursday’s other semifinal.

The final is on May 27 in Leipzig, Germany.

Published on May 01, 2026

#Forest #beats #Villa #Europa #League #semifinal #firstleg #Palace #wins #Conference #League #leg

Chris Wood scored from the penalty spot to give Nottingham Forest a 1-0 victory over Aston Villa in the first leg of their all-English Europa League semifinal on Thursday.

In a matchup of two teams hoping to revive former European glory, the win at the City Ground put Forest a step closer to what would be its first continental competition final in 46 years.

Wood fired his 71st-minute penalty high into the net, giving goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez no chance to save after defender Lucas Digne was whistled for handball.

“It’s nice to have the advantage but going to Villa Park will be a tough game,” the New Zealand striker told the TNT Sports. “But we’ve done the job here at home and now hopefully, we’ll build into next week.”

Vítor Pereira’s team stretched its unbeaten run to nine games in all competitions. Forest visits Chelsea in the Premier League on Monday before the semifinal second leg in Birmingham next Thursday.

Forest is in a relegation fight — currently five points above the Premier League drop zone. The winner of the Europa League title earns a spot in next season’s Champions League. That could create a scenario in which Forest gets relegated to England’s second division but also plays in Europe’s top club competition.

Forest has returned to Europe after 30 years to reach its fourth semifinal, but first since the 1984 UEFA Cup. That was after Forest dominated the European Cup — the predecessor of the Champions League — and won the trophy in 1979 and 1980. Villa became the European champion two years later.

Villa sits fifth in the Premier League and stands a good chance of qualifying for the Champions League domestically.

Villa coach Unai Emery has won the Europa League title four times — thrice with Sevilla and once with Villarreal.

In the other semifinal, Braga beat Freiburg 2-1 after substitute Mario Dorgeles netted the winner in second-half stoppage time in Portugal.

At 1-1, Freiburg goalkeeper Noah Atubolu denied Braga a golden opportunity to restore a lead by diving to his right to save a spot kick by Rodrigo Zalazar.

The Portuguese side hopes to advance to the final again after it lost to domestic rival Porto 1-0 in the 2011 title match.

The second legs are next Thursday and the final is in Istanbul on May 20.

In the third-tier Conference League, Ismaïla Sarr scored in the opening minute as Crystal Palace beat Shakhtar Donetsk 3-1 in the opening leg of their semifinal.

Daichi Kamada and Jorgen Strand Larsen also scored for Palace after Oleh Ocheretko had equalized for Shakhtar.

The game was played in Krakow, Poland, because of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The second leg is next Thursday in London.

Rayo Vallecano beat Strasbourg 1-0 in the Thursday’s other semifinal.

The final is on May 27 in Leipzig, Germany.

Published on May 01, 2026

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Deadspin | Twins bats come alive late to take down Jays in series opener <div id=""><section id="0" class=" w-full"><div class="xl:container mx-0 !px-4 py-0 pb-4 !mx-0 !px-0"><img src="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28849031.jpg" srcset="https://images.deadspin.com/tr:w-900/28849031.jpg" alt="MLB: Toronto Blue Jays at Minnesota Twins" class="w-full" fetchpriority="high" loading="eager"/><span class="text-0.8 leading-tight">Apr 30, 2026; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Twins center fielder Byron Buxton (25) celebrates after hitting a double off Toronto Blue Jays left fielder Yohendrick Pinango (24) in the first inning at Target Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Blewett-Imagn Images<!-- --> <!-- --> </span></div></section><section id="section-1"> <p>Byron Buxton went 3-for-4 with a double, a homer and an RBI, and the Minnesota Twins pulled away for a 7-1 win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night in Minneapolis.</p> </section><section id="section-2"> <p>Ryan Jeffers hit a two-run homer for Minnesota, which won the opener of a four-game series. Austin Martin, Josh Bell and Luke Keaschall drove in one run apiece for the Twins.</p> </section><section id="section-3"> <p>Daulton Varsho hit a solo homer for Toronto’s lone run.</p> </section><section id="section-4"> <p>Twins right-hander Bailey Ober (3-1) limited the Blue Jays to one run on four hits in six innings. He walked two and struck out two.</p> </section><section id="section-5"> <p>Blue Jays right-hander Kevin Gausman (2-2) allowed four runs on four hits in 5 2/3 innings. He also walked two and struck out two.</p> </section><section id="section-6"> <p>Toronto opened the scoring in the top of the fourth inning. Varsho belted a 397-foot solo shot over the wall in right field for his fourth homer of the season and his first since April 14.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-7"> <p>The Twins responded to take a 2-1 lead in the bottom of the fourth. Trevor Larnach drew a leadoff walk, and Jeffers followed with a two-run homer over the wall in left-center field.</p> </section> <section id="section-8"> <p>Buxton continued his power surge in the sixth. He led off the inning with a solo shot to left-center field that marked his eighth homer of the season and his fifth homer in the past nine games.</p> </section><section id="section-9"> <p>The blast by Buxton made it 3-1, and the Twins added another run in the sixth to seize a three-run lead. Martin ripped an RBI single to center to drive in Larnach.</p> </section><section id="section-10"> <p>Minnesota tacked on three more runs in the eighth to increase its advantage to 7-1.</p> </section><section id="section-11"> <p>Buxton started the big inning with a single to center. Jeffers reached on a fielder’s choice ground ball that included a throwing error by Blue Jays third baseman Kazuma Okamoto, and Bell capitalized moments later with a single to make it 6-1.</p> </section><section id="section-12"> <p>Keaschall capped the scoring with a sacrifice fly to left to drive in Bell.</p> </section><section id="section-13"> <p>Twins relievers Anthony Banda, Andrew Morris and Justin Topa combined to pitch three scoreless innings to preserve the victory for Ober.</p> </section><br/><section id="section-14"> <p>–Field Level Media</p> </section> </div> #Deadspin #Twins #bats #alive #late #Jays #series #opener

#Messis #World #Cup #hat #trick #included #spectacular #goal #tournament">Messi’s World Cup hat trick is included most spectacular goal of 2026 tournament so far  Messi is back at the 2026 World Cup on the brink is his 39th birthday later in June. Somehow, he’s still as great as ever.Messi put Argentina up 1-0 on Algeria in the World Cup opener for both countries in the 16th minute of the match. The superstar took the ball down the center of the pitch and unleashed a rocket in the back of the net as only he can. Watch Messi’s breathtaking goal here:Right in the top corner! How does Messi do it?Watch an alternate angle here:Messi hasn’t been deterred by old age or spending his golden years playing in the MLS. He can still be as incredible as any player when he’s at his best, and this goal proves it.It’s such a joy to be able to experience Messi’s greatness even this late into his career. He really might be the GOAT, and he continues to prove it on the world’s biggest stage.Update: Messi added two more goals for his first ever hat trick in the World Cup.Here’s his second goal:We’ll never see another Leo Messi.  #Messis #World #Cup #hat #trick #included #spectacular #goal #tournament

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