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Josh Ball

Anyone wanting to keep up with the world of football in real time overnight would have needed at least five TV screens and multiple other devices just to catch a glimpse of the action.
In the Uefa Champions League alone there were 28 goals in just six games, while one match in the English League Cup needed more than 30 penalties before it was decided.
Goals galore and a collective nightmare for defenders and goalkeepers alike. Here then, is what happened while you were sleeping.
Happy birthday Arne
Fashion Week started in Milan on Tuesday and Liverpool strutted their stuff at the San Siro, celebrating manager Arne Slot’s 46th birthday in style.

Ibrahima Konate, Virgil van Dijk and Dominik Szoboszlai all scored in a 3-1 win over AC Milan, as the Premier League side recovered from going behind to an early Christian Pulisic goal.
Still smarting from defeat to Nottingham Forest at the weekend, Liverpool could have won by a greater margin but Mohamed Salah hit the woodwork twice in the first half.
“A great way to spend my birthday,” Slot said. “Losing Saturday was a blow and to be 1-0 down early tonight, you are wondering how we react. But if you can play so good it is – I won’t say a disgrace – unbelievable you lose to Forest at home if you can play like this today.”
Mbappe on target
Kylian Mbappe scored on his first Champions League appearance for Real Madrid as the holders started their trophy defence with a 3-1 win over Stuttgart.
Antonio Rudiger headed home in the 83rd minute for the record 15-time champions after Deniz Undav had levelled Mbappe’s opener just seconds into the second half.
Endrick, another Champions League debutant, wrapped up Madrid’s win with a low drive deep into stoppage time.
“I know I can do more – each game I feel better and now I’m scoring goals, and I’m happy here,” said Mbappe, who has scored five goals in seven games for Real.
Kane you believe it
Tottenham fans still struggling with their side’s non-existent attacking threat might want to skip this one.
Harry Kane scored four in his side’s 9-2 demolition of Dinamo Zagreb, taking his tally in the competition to 33 and becoming the highest-scoring English player in its history. That honour previously lay with Wayne Rooney, who scored 30.
In a game that set a record for most goals in a Champions League match, Bayern struck three times in the first half. Kane now has 53 goals in 50 games in all competitions since moving to Bayern.
The England captain has scored nine goals in his past three games for club and country including two against Finland in his 100th international game and a hat-trick on Saturday for Bayern against Holstein Kiel in the Bundesliga.
A win’s a win

Yes, it’s only the English League Cup, yes it was only Barnsley, so let’s not get carried away, but Manchester United managed the largest win of Erik ten Hag’s tenure with a 7-0 thrashing of their third division opposition.
And, in a sign that maybe Marcus Rashford has finally remembered what he is actually paid for, the striker scored twice, taking his total to three in two games after not scoring in the previous 12.
Alejandro Garnacho and Christian Eriksen also got two in the third-round match at Old Trafford, with Antony on target as well.
The margin of victory surpassed United’s previous best under Ten Hag: 4-1 wins against Real Betis and Chelsea in his first season at the club.
Shooting practice
On a night of goals raining in across Europe, it took 34 penalties to separate Preston North End and Fulham in their League Cup tie, with the Championship side finally winning 16-15 on a crazy night at Deepdale.
It took double figures to settle Everton’s game against Southampton too, with the latter finally winning 6-5 at Goodison Park, and condemning Sean Dyche’s side to their third defeat in three games.
On the other side of the coin, Stoke City and Fleetwood Town could do with practising taking penalties, with the former winning their shoot-out 2-1.
Pick up the pace
Hoping to qualify for the 2026 Boston Marathon? Then you’re going to have to be faster – about five minutes faster.
The Boston Athletic Association has updated its qualifying times for the world’s oldest annual marathon, and the latest change means men between the ages of 18 and 34 will have to hit 2 hours, 55 minutes or quicker to earn a spot. Women and non-binary applicants need to complete the distance in 3:25.
Organisers said they had 36,406 qualifier entry applications for next year’s race, more than ever before. Runners taking part in the event to raise money for charity do not have to meet the qualifying standards. Next year’s Boston Marathon will take place on April 21.


Liverpool beat Milan, Kane scores 4, United get 7: what happened overnight in world of sport

Tom Brady’s bunch get better of Wrexham in Hollywood derby, what happened overnight in world of sport

Spurs fans turn on Postecoglou, Newcastle down Wolves, US Solheim win, what happened overnight

Haaland strikes twice, Forest stun Liverpool, what happened overnight in world of sport

While you were sleeping

Harry Kane (right) scores to put Bayern Munich 4-2 up against Dinamo Zagreb in their Uefa Champions League in Munich that finished 9-2. Photo: EPA-EFE

Liverpool captain Virgil van Dijk (right) put Liverpool ahead in their 3-1 away win over AC Milan. Photo: AP

Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford celebrates scoring their fifth goal against Barnsley. Photo: Reuters

AFC Champions League Elite: runners-up Yokohama thrashed 7-3 by debutants Gwangju

Yokohama F Marinos’ forward Elber scored twice in his side’s 7-3 loss to Gwangju in the opening round of matches in the AFC Champions League Elite. Photo: AFC

Elite female runners to be lured to break 10km world record on new Hong Kong airport runway

Kwan Kee, chairman of the Hong Kong, China Association of Athletics Affiliates, at the launch of the Three-runway system 10km international race at Hong Kong International Airport. Photo: Elson Li

Kenya’s Agnes Tirop set the world record of 30 minutes and one second for the 10km, five weeks before she was murdered. Photo: AFP

Sport

Football

Goals is the name of the game for this one. From the Midlands to Milan, and everywhere in between, nets were bulging almost non stop


Goals is the name of the game for this one. From the Midlands to Milan, and everywhere in between, nets were bulging almost non stop.


Uefa Champions League