Gareth Bale scored at extra-time stoppage time as Los Angeles FC beat the Union 3-0 in a penalty shoot-out to claim its first MLS Cup championship Saturday.
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🏆 CAMPEONES 🏆 pic.twitter.com/pBdKur0Hme
— LAFC (@LAFC) November 6, 2022
Bale, who came in as a substitute in extra time after sitting out the playoffs with a wrist injury, headed home a cross from Diego Palacios over Union’s Jack Elliott to level at 3-3.
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ILIE. PANDEMONIUM. pic.twitter.com/v5HSDvu9Ic
— LAFC (@LAFC) November 5, 2022
Bale, who left Real Madrid during the summer with an eye on preparation for Wales’ World Cup appearance later this month, was getting his first minutes with LA since October 2.
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HE’S GARETH ******* BALE. #ForLosAngeles pic.twitter.com/yqqi67RSdz
— LAFC (@LAFC) November 5, 2022
LA became the eighth team in MLS history to win both the Supporters’ Shield as regular-season champion and the MLS Cup playoff tournament.
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Backup goalkeeper John McCarthy was the hero for LAFC as he stopped two Philadelphia shots in the shootout.
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La Liga: Tearful Pique bids farewell
Barcelona registered a 2-0 win over Almeria to give defender Gerard Pique’s a perfect send off at the Camp Nou after he announced he will retire from soccer when La Liga breaks for the World Cup next week.
📖 The End pic.twitter.com/8MFsVcA1l4
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 6, 2022
After Robert Lewandowski missed an early penalty, Ousmane Dembele opened the scoring against the outclassed Almeria in the 48th minute and Frenkie de Jong put the result beyond doubt in the 62nd.
When you are down, we lift you up#Sempr3 pic.twitter.com/YfVwJwN600
— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) November 5, 2022
The 35-year-old Pique started the game as captain and was substituted in the 83rd minute, walking off the pitch in tears to a standing ovation from the 92,605 fans – the highest attendance at the Camp Nou so far this season – who packed the stadium to say goodbye to a club great.
Barcelona climbed to the top of the standings on 34 points from 13 games, two ahead of Real Madrid who have a game in hand and will visit Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
Serie A: Giroud wins it for AC Milan
Olivier Giroud’s 89th minute goal helped AC Milan register a 2-1 win over relegation-threatened Spezia. However, the very next minute the 36-year-old striker wa collected a second yellow card, for taking off his shirt and was sent off.
On loan from the Milan squad that his father and grandfather captained, Daniel Maldini scored for Spezia in front of dad Paolo, Milan’s sporting director.
It was the second career goal for Maldini in Serie A, having scored against Spezia last season in his first start for Milan.
Olivier Giroud won it for Milan with an acrobatic volley in the 89th minute after Theo Hernández had put the Rossoneri ahead with an expert chest control and volley.
