Barcelona sink Real Madrid in extra time to win Copa del Rey title
A Jules Kounde goal in the dying minutes of extra time handed Barcelona a dramatic 3-2 win over fierce rivals Real Madrid in an enthralling Copa del Rey final on Saturday, Reuters reported.
Barca won a record extending 32nd Spanish Cup title thanks to a stunning strike from the French defender, who slotted in a low drive into the bottom corner from 25 yards in the 116th minute.
However, Real took control in the second half as Kylian Mbappe, who was absent from the starting XI as he has yet to regain full fitness from an ankle injury, came off the bench to score the equaliser from a free kick in the 70th minute.
Aurelien Tchouameni gave Real Madrid the lead seven minutes later with a towering header from a corner before Ferran Torres found the equaliser in a counter attack in the 84th minute that took the game to extra time, according to Reuters.
Atletico cruise to 3-0 home win over Rayo Vallecano
Goals from Alexander Sorloth, Conor Gallagher and Julian Alvarez powered Atletico Madrid to a 3-0 home win over city rivals Rayo Vallecano on Thursday, strengthening their grip on third place in LaLiga.
With their league title hopes all but over after a 1-0 loss at Las Palmas, Diego Simeone's side bounced back to move up to 66 points, six clear of fourth-placed Athletic Bilbao.
"It was a pretty entertaining match with attacking play and dangerous chances for both teams, which I'm sure we could have handled better," coach Simeone told reporters.
"In the second half, the team played with more order. The play that led to the third goal was exquisite."
Ronaldo's Valladolid relegated from LaLiga after 5-1 heavy loss at Betis
Real Valladolid, the team owned by former Brazil striker Ronaldo, were relegated from LaLiga after a 5-1 loss at Real Betis on Thursday, ESPN reported.
It is the third relegation in seven years for Valladolid under Ronaldo, who is reportedly negotiating the sale of the club. The Brazil great has been loudly criticized by Valladolid's fans, who say he has been absent and doesn't give enough attention to the club.
Last-place Valladolid have lost 13 of their last 14 matches and their goal differential is at negative 57, according to ESPN.
The heavy loss capped a tumultuous season for Valladolid, which saw two managerial sackings -- Diego Cocca and Paulo Pezzolano -- before former Valladolid player Álvaro Rubio took over in February.
KUSMS leads as KU Running Shield-2082 nears conclusion
The KU Running Shield 2082, a national-level intercollege sports tournament hosted by Kathmandu University, is progressing toward its conclusion with wide participation and competitive matchups. Taking place at the 28 Kilo grounds in Dhulikhel, the event has brought together students from over 28 colleges across Nepal, along with athletes from India and Sri Lanka.
According to the latest medal tally, the Kathmandu University School of Medical Sciences (KUSMS) currently leads the competition with nine gold medals, bolstered by recent wins in boys’ volleyball and girls’ cricket. The School of Law (KUSOL) is in second place with seven gold medals, maintaining their position with a victory in the girls’ football final.
Among the notable performances, Ishan Pandey, a member of the Nepal Green squad, scored a century in a match against KU Engineering, contributing to KUSMS’s success in cricket.
Prabesh Guragain, Media and Promotions Lead of the event, said the tournament has seen participation from national-level athletes and international teams, calling it one of the most extensive university sports events to date. Aayush Chaudhary, Event Management Lead, emphasized the effort involved in organizing the event and acknowledged the contributions of the various teams involved.
Indoor events such as badminton, table tennis, and chess have concluded, while the final day on Friday, will include the cricket and football finals followed by the medal distribution ceremony. The event is expected to conclude with a formal closing ceremony, potentially attended by national sports figures.