Bayern Battle Past 10-man Augsburg but Musiala Goes Off Injured

04 April 2025, Bavaria, Augsburg: Munich's Jamal Musiala receives treatment on the ground by team doctor Dr. Jochen Hahne (C) during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and Bayern Munich at WWK-Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
04 April 2025, Bavaria, Augsburg: Munich's Jamal Musiala receives treatment on the ground by team doctor Dr. Jochen Hahne (C) during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and Bayern Munich at WWK-Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
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Bayern Battle Past 10-man Augsburg but Musiala Goes Off Injured

04 April 2025, Bavaria, Augsburg: Munich's Jamal Musiala receives treatment on the ground by team doctor Dr. Jochen Hahne (C) during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and Bayern Munich at WWK-Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa
04 April 2025, Bavaria, Augsburg: Munich's Jamal Musiala receives treatment on the ground by team doctor Dr. Jochen Hahne (C) during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and Bayern Munich at WWK-Arena. Photo: Tom Weller/dpa

Bayern Munich came back from a goal down to beat 10-man Augsburg 3-1 away on Friday and move nine points clear at the top of the Bundesliga but Jamal Musiala went off injured and looks unlikely to be fit for next week's Champions League quarter-final.
Musiala equalized before Harry Kane's header and a deflected own goal from Augsburg's Chrislain Matsima gave Bayern the points after the hosts took the lead through Dimitris Gianoulis' strike but ran out of steam when Cedric Zesiger was sent off.
Bayern now have 68 points with six games left, nine ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, who travel to lowly Heidenheim on Saturday.
Bayern, who host Serie A pacesetters Inter Milan in the first leg of Europe's elite club competition on Tuesday, are already without injured defenders Hiroki Ito, Alphonso Davies and Dayot Upamecano as well as goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.
"We have played without Jamal a few times already this season," Reuters quoted Bayern coach Vincent Kompany as saying.
"I'm no doctor and don't want to look too far ahead but unfortunately it looks like he will miss it (Inter match). We'll know more after checks today or tomorrow.
"But in these moments I always have the feeling that we should not stop. These moments happen.
"We worked our way into this situation, and in the six remaining league games and in the Champions League we want to use our chances and win something, be successful.
"So we should not take too much from the sometimes sad stories and get strength from the issues we have solved this season," he added.
Augsburg, undefeated in their previous 11 league matches, stunned their Bavarian rivals with Greece defender Gianoulis' superb 30th minute finish.
The visitors hit back three minutes before the break when Germany international Musiala turned in the box and beat goalkeeper Finn Dahmen with a low shot.
Bayern rattled the crossbar with Michael Olise's effort in the 52nd but then saw Musiala helped off the pitch with what looked like a muscle injury.
The game turned in the 59th minute when Augsburg had Zesiger dismissed for a second booking. Bayern scored from the resulting free kick through Bundesliga top scorer Kane's diving header for his 23rd league goal of the campaign.
It was the England striker's 78th goal in 84 matches across all competitions for the Bavarians.
Bayern's Leroy Sane, who had missed a golden chance minutes earlier, made sure of the three points with a deflected cross off Matsima in stoppage time which was awarded as an own goal.
"If you take away the goal that we conceded, in the first and second half we were solid defensively," Kompany said.
"After going 1-0 down and how the team worked its way back into the game was a good sign."



Salah Steers Egypt into Africa Cup Knockout Stages After VAR Denies South Africa Late Penalty

 Egypt's forward #10 Mohamed Salah shoots from the penalty spot to score the team's first goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group B football match between Egypt and South Africa at Adrar Stadium in Agadir on December 26, 2025. (AFP)
Egypt's forward #10 Mohamed Salah shoots from the penalty spot to score the team's first goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group B football match between Egypt and South Africa at Adrar Stadium in Agadir on December 26, 2025. (AFP)
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Salah Steers Egypt into Africa Cup Knockout Stages After VAR Denies South Africa Late Penalty

 Egypt's forward #10 Mohamed Salah shoots from the penalty spot to score the team's first goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group B football match between Egypt and South Africa at Adrar Stadium in Agadir on December 26, 2025. (AFP)
Egypt's forward #10 Mohamed Salah shoots from the penalty spot to score the team's first goal during the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) Group B football match between Egypt and South Africa at Adrar Stadium in Agadir on December 26, 2025. (AFP)

Mohamed Salah scored again on Friday as Egypt's 10 men held on to beat South Africa 1-0 to reach the knockout stages of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Salah, who secured the Pharaohs’ opening win with a stoppage-time strike against Zimbabwe on Monday, did it again in Agadir and his penalty before the break secured progression from Group B.

But South Africa should arguably have been given a penalty in stoppage time when Yasser Ibrahim blocked a shot with his arm. After a long delay, the referee decided against awarding the spot kick after consulting video replays and Ibrahim sank to the ground in relief.

“We didn’t have much luck. We also had several refereeing decisions go against us,” South Africa coach Hugo Broos said.

Salah converted his penalty after he was struck in the face by the hand of the retreating South Africa forward Lyle Foster. Salah showed no ill effects from the blow and sent his shot straight down the middle while goalkeeper Ronwen Williams dived to his right.

There was still time before the break for Egypt defender Mohamed Hany to get sent off, after receiving a second yellow card for a foul on Teboho Mokoena.

Goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy was Egypt’s key player in the second half.

“We gave our all in this match right until the end, and we also hope for the best for what comes next,” the 37-year-old El Shenawy said.

Earlier, Angola and Zimbabwe drew 1-1 in the other group game, a result that suited neither side after opening losses.

Egypt leads with 6 points from two games followed by South Africa on 3. Angola and Zimbabwe have a point each. The top two progress from each group, along with the best third-place finishers.

Zambia drew 1-1 with Comoros in the early Group A fixture after both lost their opening games, meaning the winner of the late match could be sure of progressing.


Draper to Miss Australian Open Due to Injury

 Jack Draper, of Great Britain, reacts after defeating Federico Agustin Gomez, of Argentina, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Aug. 25, 2025, in New York. (AP)
Jack Draper, of Great Britain, reacts after defeating Federico Agustin Gomez, of Argentina, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Aug. 25, 2025, in New York. (AP)
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Draper to Miss Australian Open Due to Injury

 Jack Draper, of Great Britain, reacts after defeating Federico Agustin Gomez, of Argentina, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Aug. 25, 2025, in New York. (AP)
Jack Draper, of Great Britain, reacts after defeating Federico Agustin Gomez, of Argentina, during the first round of the US Open tennis championships, Aug. 25, 2025, in New York. (AP)

Briton Jack Draper said on Friday he will not compete in next month's Australian Open, citing ongoing recovery from an injury.

Draper, 10th in the world rankings, was forced to withdraw from the second round of ‌the US Open ‌in August ‌due ⁠to bone ‌bruising in his left arm.

"Unfortunately, me and my team have decided not to head out to Australia this year. It's a really, ⁠really tough decision," the British ‌number one said in ‍a video ‍posted on X.

The 24-year-old ‍is targeting a February return alongside preparation for the defense of his Indian Wells title in March.

"This injury has been the most difficult ⁠and complex of my career," Draper added. "It's weird, it always seems to make me more resilient. I'm looking forward to getting back out there in 2026 and competing."

The Australian Open begins on January 18 in ‌Melbourne.


Morocco Forced to Wait for AFCON Knockout Place After Mali Draw

Football - CAF Africa Cup of Nations - Morocco 2025 - Group A - Morocco v Mali - Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco - December 26, 2025 Morocco's Ismael Saibari reacts after Mali's Lassine Sinayoko scored their first goal. (Reuters)
Football - CAF Africa Cup of Nations - Morocco 2025 - Group A - Morocco v Mali - Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco - December 26, 2025 Morocco's Ismael Saibari reacts after Mali's Lassine Sinayoko scored their first goal. (Reuters)
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Morocco Forced to Wait for AFCON Knockout Place After Mali Draw

Football - CAF Africa Cup of Nations - Morocco 2025 - Group A - Morocco v Mali - Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco - December 26, 2025 Morocco's Ismael Saibari reacts after Mali's Lassine Sinayoko scored their first goal. (Reuters)
Football - CAF Africa Cup of Nations - Morocco 2025 - Group A - Morocco v Mali - Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, Morocco - December 26, 2025 Morocco's Ismael Saibari reacts after Mali's Lassine Sinayoko scored their first goal. (Reuters)

Morocco missed the chance to guarantee their spot in the last 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations after Lassine Sinayoko's second-half penalty earned Mali a 1-1 draw with the hosts on Friday.

The match was a tale of two spot-kicks, with Brahim Diaz giving Morocco the lead from a penalty deep in first-half injury time and Sinayoko replying on 64 minutes.

The stalemate at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in the capital Rabat ended Morocco's world record winning run which had been taken to 19 matches with their 2-0 victory over Comoros in the tournament's opening game.

It also means Morocco have not yet confirmed their place in the knockout phase, although they are on top of Group A with four points from two games.

Mali come next on two points alongside Zambia, who drew 0-0 with minnows Comoros earlier in Casablanca.

Morocco next face Zambia on Monday and a victory in that match against the 2012 champions will ensure that the hosts go through as group winners.

"We'll look back at the second half and see what the problem was but we didn't play the way we did in the first half. We didn't impose our game and had to drop off. The penalty changed the game a bit," Morocco midfielder Azzedine Ounahi told broadcaster beIN Sports.

"We go into the third game with the same approach, to win the game and finish top of the group."

Morocco captain Achraf Hakimi, the African player of the year, was again an unused substitute as he continues his recovery from an ankle injury suffered playing for Paris Saint-Germain at the start of November.

- Mbappe watches on -

His former PSG teammate Kylian Mbappe, the current Real Madrid superstar and France skipper, was among the spectators in the crowd of 63,844 and appeared to be wearing a Morocco shirt with Hakimi's number two on it.

With Hakimi on the sidelines, Mbappe's Real Madrid teammate Diaz was the main attraction on the pitch -- the little number 10 forced a good save from Mali goalkeeper Djigui Diarra on 17 minutes and then played a key part in the penalty which led to the opening goal just before the interval.

Mali defender Nathan Gassama brushed the ball with his hand as he tried to stop Diaz dribbling past him inside the box, and the referee eventually awarded a spot-kick following a lengthy look at the pitchside VAR monitor.

Morocco's Soufiane Rahimi had a spot-kick saved against Comoros but this time Diaz sent the goalkeeper the wrong way for his second goal of the tournament.

However, Walid Regragui's side, the best team in Africa according to the FIFA rankings, could not build on that as Mali won a penalty of their own just after the hour mark.

Sinayoko went down under a clumsy challenge by Jawad El Yamiq and 29-year-old Cameroonian referee Abdoul Abdel Mefire awarded the penalty after eventually being called over to check his screen.

Auxerre striker Sinayoko, having been booked apparently for something he said to the referee, kept his cool to stroke in the reward and restore parity.

Morocco substitute Youssef En-Nesyri was denied by a good Diarra save and Mali then held on through 10 minutes of stoppage time for a point, as the final whistle was greeted with jeers from the home fans.