Other Leagues
Pele’s old club Santos seals return to the top flight a year after relegation
Santos won promotion back to Brazil’s Serie A with a 2-0 win over Coritiba on Monday as Pele’s former club secured top flight status a year after being relegated for the first time.
Santos, who celebrated their 112th anniversary earlier this year, were relegated in December when they lost 2-1 to Fortaleza in the final round of fixtures.
However, goals first-half from Wendel and Romulo Otero on Monday ensured they bounced straight back up and took them to within touching distance of the Serie B title.
“The joy of making history. A source of honour and joy,” Brazilian forward Guilherme told ge.globo.
“Truly, a difficult year. The fans deserve it too much, every member of staff at the centre, the board of directors. I’m at a loss for words.”
Late Brazilian great Pele helped Santos become one of the most famous clubs in world football, with the coastal city side enjoying a golden era in the 1950s and 1960s that saw them win 10 state and six Brazilian league titles.
In addition to Pele, Santos have produced a host of elite players such as Neymar, former AC Milan forward Robinho and Real Mardrid’s Rodrygo.
“It was the most difficult year in the history of this club,” midfielder Joao Schmidt said. “A lot of courage … It’s almost mission accomplished, we’re looking for the title.”
Santos have a five-point lead in Serie B with two games to go
-Reuters
A goal scored under soccer’s experimental “daylight” offside rule was allowed for the first time in a professional match on Saturday, with Pacific FC forward Alejandro Diaz on target in a 2-2 draw with Halifax Wanderers in the Canadian Premier League.
The strike would have been ruled out under the standard International Football Association Board Laws of the Game, but stood under the CPL’s ongoing trial conducted in cooperation with FIFA.
The Canadian league is testing the rule this season as part of efforts to reduce marginal offside decisions and encourage attacking play.
Under the system, an attacker is only deemed offside if there is clear “daylight” between them and the second-last defender, rather than being penalised for narrowly being ahead.
The concept, long advocated by former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger in his role as FIFA’s head of global football development, is being assessed in Canada as a potential change to the offside law.
Diaz’s goal marked the first in-game application of the interpretation, which resulted directly in a goal, offering a glimpse of how the rule could alter attacking patterns and defensive positioning.
The CPL, which launched the trial earlier this month, has provided FIFA with a professional testing ground for the proposal as soccer’s world governing body evaluates whether to expand its use more broadly.
Reuters
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Al-Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El-Shenawy was handed a four-match ban after striking a referee on the head following a 1-1 draw with Ceramica Cleopatra, the Egyptian Pro League said on Thursday.
The Egypt international, who was on the bench for Tuesday’s game, was incensed after Al-Ahly’s appeal for a penalty following a handball in stoppage time was denied.
“He handed a four‑match ban and fined 50,000 Egyptian pounds ($942) for assaulting the referee by pushing or pulling (use of the hand without violence),” the league said in a statement.
The ban means El-Shenawy, who is expected to be Egypt’s starting goalkeeper at the World Cup in North America, will be sidelined until the final week of the league play-offs.
Al-Ahly are third on 41 points, five points behind leaders Zamalek.
-Reuters
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Galatasaray have strengthened their squad with another Napoli player, announcing on Friday that Dutch winger Noa Lang has joined the Turkish champions on loan for the remainder of the season, linking up with former Napoli player, Victor Osimhen in Istanbul.
The Super Lig giants confirmed that they have reached an agreement with Napoli for the temporary transfer of the 15-cap Netherlands international, with the deal including a non-mandatory purchase option that Galatasaray may activate at the end of the season.
Under the terms of the agreement, Galatasaray will pay €2 million as a loan fee to Napoli, while Lang will earn a seasonal salary of €1.75 million, according to a statement released by the club.
Lang joined Napoli last year from PSV Eindhoven but struggled to fully establish himself in Italy. He featured in 27 matches across all competitions, scoring once during his time with the Serie A side.
His arrival adds attacking depth to Galatasaray and further strengthens the Napoli connection at the club, with Osimhen already a central figure in their squad as they continue to push for domestic success and progress in European competition.
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