Turkey’s Besiktas has reached a deal with Major League Soccer to acquire Canadian striker Cyle Larin from Orlando City SC.
A source said the transfer could be announced as early as Tuesday. Orlando, however, declined comment.
The 22-year-old from Brampton, Ont., made no secret after last season that he wants to test his skills in Europe, only to find himself in a tug-of-war when MLS said that Larin was under contract with Orlando City through 2019.
The Turkish champion ramped up the stakes in mid-January by tweeting photos of Larin giving a thumbs-up in a Besiktas jersey and in the midst of what looked like a medical.
"Negotiations on for signing Canadian striker Cyle Larin as he undergoes physical," the club said on its English Twitter feed.
Video of what looked like Larin training with the Turkish team also surfaced on social media.
Orlando City responded via a terse statement.
"The club has not agreed to terms on a transfer of Larin and will take all necessary action against Besiktas in response to the announcement," the statement read. "Larin remains under contract with Orlando City through 2019 and is expected to join his teammates at preseason camp later this month."
But in acquiring forward Justin Meram from Columbus in Monday, Orlando appears to be preparing for life after Larin. The American-born Iraq international has 37 goals and 33 assists in seven seasons with Columbus, collecting 13 of those goals in 2017.
Columbus got US$1,050,000 in allocation money for Meram: $300,000 in targeted allocation money and $300,000 in general allocation money for the 2018 season and $450,000 in TAM for 2019 season, plus an international roster slot for 2019.
Meram joins Dom Dwyer in the Orlando attack.
Larin, a former MLS rookie of the year, has 43 goals in 87 games for Orlando over three seasons. He made $192,000 last season, according to the MLS Players Association.
Larin has played 23 times for Canada with five goals. The move to Besiktas reunites Larin with Canadian teammate Atiba Hutchinson.
SERIE A has turned into a two-horse race with Napoli the only side left standing in their quest to prevent Juventus winning a seventh straight scudetto.
Maurizio Sarri’s side take on Bologna, who are enjoying a solid mid-table season in 12th position, as they look to leapfrog Juve back into top spot.
MADRID — Real Madrid followed its biggest win of the season with its most embarrassing defeat on Wednesday, and the pressure is back on for coach Zinedine Zidane and his players.
After routing Deportivo La Coruna 7-1 to give fans a glimmer of hope after a series of poor results, Madrid crashed out of the Copa del Rey with a shock 2-1 loss to Leganes at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.
The elimination in the Copa quarterfinals was the latest setback for Madrid in what has been a disappointing season.
It is fourth in the Spanish league, trailing leader Barcelona by 19 points with a game in hand, and its only realistic chance of a title the rest of the season will be in the Champions League, where it faces Paris Saint-Germain in the last 16.
The Bernabeu crowd loudly jeered Madrid after the loss, with Zidane among those criticized the most after fielding second-stringers despite the big gap to Barcelona in La Liga.
"We clearly failed," Zidane said. "And I’m the one responsible for it."
Playing without Cristiano Ronaldo and other regular starters, Madrid was unable to defend its 1-0 win from the first leg, being eliminated on away goals after a 2-2 draw on aggregate.
"We were not supposed to be eliminated like this after having won the first leg," said Zidane, calling the defeat the worst moment of his coaching career with Madrid. "I’m upset. It’s a big disappointment. I know it’s a difficult night for the fans."
It’s the second consecutive year Madrid has been eliminated in the Copa quarterfinals, having lost to Celta Vigo last season.
Leganes, based just south of Madrid, was playing in the last eight of the Copa for the first time in the team’s 89-year history.
"The key was that we believed we could achieve this, even after the loss last week," Leganes coach Asier Garitano said. "We played a great match and everything went well."
The visitors provided the bigger threat at the Bernabeu, opening the scoring with Javi Eraso’s curling shot into the top corner of the net. Eraso picked up the loose ball just outside the area after a bad exchange of passes between Madrid defenders Achraf Hakimi and Nacho Fernandez. Hakimi’s pass was too short and Fernandez couldn’t control the ball under pressure from Eraso.
After being jeered at halftime, Madrid came back strongly after the break, with Karim Benzema scoring early with a close-range shot over the goalkeeper after a through ball by Lucas Vazquez. The goal ended Benzema’s six-match scoreless streak that dated back to November.
However, Leganes stunned the home crowd again less than 10 minutes later, when Gabriel Pires scored with a header from a corner taken by Eraso.
Benzema nearly scored an equalizer that would have allowed Madrid to advance in the 81st, but his shot from inside the area was saved by goalkeeper Nereo Champagne. The goalkeeper also stopped Sergio Ramos from scoring with a header in the 85th.
Madrid, which won the Spanish Super Cup and the Club World Cup earlier this season, endured a three-match winless streak at home before trouncing Deportivo in Sunday’s league match.
On Tuesday, Sevilla advanced to the semifinals after eliminating Atletico Madrid 5-2 on aggregate. Three-time defending champion Barcelona hosts city rival Espanyol on Thursday to try to overcome a 1-0 first-leg loss.
——
WIN ON PENALTIES
Two penalty saves by goalkeeper Jaume Domenech helped Valencia defeat Alaves 3-2 in a shootout.
A 2-1 win by Alaves in regulation time of the second leg evened the series at 3-3 on aggregate. Domenech then stopped shots by Alfonso Pedraza and forward Hernan Perez to send Valencia through to the last four for the second time in three seasons.
Alaves forward Ruben Sobrino, who scored in both matches, missed the decisive penalty by sending the ball over the crossbar at Mendizorroza Stadium.
Rodrigo, Santi Mina and Jose Luis Gaya all converted from the spot for the visitors, with their only miss coming from midfielder Geoffrey Kondogbia after a save by goalkeeper Antonio Sivera. Alaves’ goals in the shootout were scored by Tomas Pina and Munir El Haddadi.
El Haddadi put Alaves in front with a header into the top corner after a long cross by Rodrigo Ely in the 73rd, and Santi Mina equalized in a breakaway four minutes later after a making a run from near the halfway line.
Sobrino netted the winner from close range following a free kick into the area.
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The Indomitable Lions coach is confident that his CHAN side can do what Cameroon do best, and bounce back from adversity at the ongoing African Nations Championship.
The Central Africans were handed a shock 1-0 defeat in their tournament opener against Congo-Brazzaville in Agadir on Tuesday, but the legendary defender has backed his side to show their true colours amidst the difficult circumstances.
"A lion never becomes anything else, we're still the Indomitable Lions," Song told KweséESPN...Champions are cruising to a sixth successful title
Bernd Leno of Bayer Leverkusen fails to stop James Rodriguez of Bayern Munich as he scores their third goal from a free kick during the Bundesliga match between at BayArena on January 12, 2018 in Leverkusen.
(Photo: Lars Baron/Bongarts/Getty Images)Champions are cruising to a sixth successful title
BT SPORT pundit Jermaine Jenas was allegedly protected by a security guard after he was confronted by a furious fan in Arsenal’s FA Cup tie with Nottingham Forest.
The former Tottenham player was walking along the concourse when he was approached by a supporter looking to cause trouble.
Jermain Jenas was approached by a fan in Nottingham Forest’s FA Cup match with ArsenalTwitter, @jjenas8
A member of the BT Sport’s security team was forced to intervene and prevent Jenas from being involved in a potentially threatening incident.
The Daily Mail claim that a BT spokeswoman said it was not known which team the fan supported.
But Jenas, who spent eight years with Spurs making 202 appearances, would not be held in high regard among Arsenal supporters.
Tottenham share a bitter rivalry with their north London neighbours.
Jermaine Jenas spent eight years at TottenhamPA:Press Association
The midfielder also started his career at Nottingham Forest as a 17-year-oldPA:Empics Sport
The 34-year-old also began his career at Nottingham Forest where he made his professional debut aged 17.
And Jenas was obviously delighted to see Forest player Eric Lichaj dump the holders out of the FA Cup with a brace.
GREEN WITH ENVY Tottenham and Bournemouth eye Aston Villa starlet Andre Green after recovering from hamstring surgeryLichaj was then embroiled in a dogged campaign to own a pup after his wife promised him he could have a pet if he scored a hat-trick.
Fans came together to convince the missus that he deserved a new dog which he duly named ‘Gunner’.
LIVERPOOL and Everton will play each other for the 230th time in football history when they go head-to-head in the FA Cup third round on Friday.
Jurgen Klopp‘s Reds host Sam Allardyce‘s Toffees with not just local bragging rights, but a spot in the fourth round at stake.
Liverpool and Everton go head-to-head in the FA Cup third-round on FridayPA:Press Association
Of the Premier League giants’ 229 games, 23 have come in the FA Cup – with Liverpool winning ten, Everton winning seven, with six draws.
Amazingly, Liverpool have never beaten Everton in an FA Cup tie at Anfield – playing four and drawing all of them.
Klopp and Co will look to get the monkey off their back on Friday aiming to extend their longest unbeaten run against Everton.
That tally currently sits at 15 games following last month’s 1-1 draw.
Liverpool look to extend their record unbeaten run against Everton on FridayPA:Press Association
Ahead of Friday’s showdown, we take a look at the five most exciting Merseyside derbies in FA Cup history…
Everton 1 Liverpool 2 – January 9, 1932
Dixie Dean (left) scored in the first minute, but Everton still lost to Liverpool in 1932Getty
85 YEARS ago, almost to the day, Liverpool and Everton went toe-to-toe once again in the FA Cup third round.
The Reds were stunned in the opening minute of the game, as Dixie Dean gave the hosts the lead.
LEAGUE OF THEIR OWN Man City officially the best of all 92 Football League clubs in 2017… with Sunderland dead-lastGordon Gunson levelled things up just before the break, before a late winner from Gordon Hodgson saw the Reds reach the fourth round.
The Reds were knocked-out in the quarter-finals that year – losing 2-0 to Chelsea.
Everton 0 Liverpool 4 – January 29, 1955
Liverpool legend Ronnie Moran (left) made his Merseyside derby debut in the 4-0 thumping of Everton in 1955 in the FA CupNews Group Newspapers Ltd
THIS game, a fourth-round clash, was incredibly Liverpool legend Ronnie Moran’s derby debut, despite signing for the Reds three years earlier.
And what a game it was, as Liverpool – relegated to Division Two the season earlier – stormed to a 4-0 win thanks to goals from Billy Liddell, Alan A’Court and two from John Evans.
However, the Reds’ run lasted just weeks, as they were knocked-out in the fifth round, 2-0 at home to Huddersfield.
Liverpool and Everton played out a superb 2-2 draw in the cup in 1977Getty
ONE of the most controversial games in FA Cup history, Everton thought they’d snatched a famous 3-2 win to reach the final at Wembley.
However, Welsh referee Clive Thomas incredibly ruled-out Bryan Hamilton’s last-gasp strike at Maine Road in the semi-final showdown.
It was a bitter pill to swallow for Everton too, having already clawed their way back from 1-0 and 2-1 down.
Worse was yet to come in the replay, as the Toffees – clearly still stunned – were trounced 3-0 as Liverpool went on to final, where they lost 2-1 to Manchester United.
Liverpool 3 Everton 2 (aet) – May 20, 1989
Liverpool won 3-2 after extra-time in the 1989 FA Cup finalGetty
A THRILLER from start to finish – quite literally – in the 1989 FA Cup final…
Liverpool stormed out of the blocks at Wembley in front of the 82,000-strong crowd thanks to a fourth-minute goal from John Aldridge.
That looked to have decided things… before substitute Stuart McCall forced extra-time with a 90th-minute leveller.
Ian Rush put Liverpool in the lead once again early in the extra period, before McCall scored his second to make it 2-2.
Two minutes later and Rush was on the score-sheet again, before the Reds clung on for the final 15 minutes to lift the FA Cup.
Liverpool won the FA Cup at Everton’s expense in the 1988-89 season
Graeme Sharp scored twice as Everton took Liverpool to another replay, and wonGetty
18 MONTHS later and Everton were out for revenge after that final defeat of 1989.
After the fifth-round first-leg ended as a 0-0 draw at Anfield, the sides reconvened at Goodison Park for a place in the quarter-final.
At half-time, the score was just 1-0 to Liverpool, thanks to a Peter Beardsley goal – but Graeme Sharp levelled things up in the first-minute of the second period.
Beardsley put Liverpool ahead on 71 minutes… before Sharp pegged the Reds back once more two minutes later.
Moments after that, Rush put Liverpool 3-2 up – to put one foot firmly in the last-eight.
But Tony Cottee had other ideas as he looked to have broken Liverpool hearts with an 89th-minute equaliser.
As the game finished 3-3, the final went to extra-time, with the Reds striking first thanks to a John Barnes screamer.
But that man Cottee popped up again to grab a draw and – as it was in those days – earn another replay… won 1-0 by Everton, who would lose in the quarter-final, 2-1 to West Ham.
Fluminense midfielder Marquinhos
