Liverpool’s teen newcomer stands tall
In the absence of unsettled playmaker Philippe Coutinho, Liverpool turned to an 18-yearold right back making his European debut for some set-piece success in its Champions League playoff win against Hoffenheim on Tuesday.
Trent Alexander-Arnold didn’t disappoint. He curled in a free kick from 30 yards to set Liverpool on its way to a 2-1 victory over a German team making its debut in European competition.
“Our little hero,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said of Alexander-Arnold, who has been at the English club since the age of 6, has played for England’s youth teams and is making his full breakthrough in the first team this season.
It was his first goal for the club, in his ninth start.
“The free kick is no coincidence; he’s been doing that every day in training,” Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson said. “Now, he’s done it on the big stage.”
Coutinho usually hogs the set pieces for Liverpool, but the Brazil international is not available, with the club saying he has a back injury.
Liverpool — a five-time European champion— is on course to reach the group stage after Havard Nordtveit inadvertently deflected substitute James Milner’s cross into his own net to make it 2-0 in the 74th minute.
In other games, CSKA Moscow beat Young Boys of Switzerland 1-0 on an own goal in added time, Azerbaijani club Qarabag FK moved closer to its first appearance in the group stage by beating FC Copenhagen 1-0, former Champions League quarterfinalist APOEL beat Slavia Prague 2-0, and Sporting Lisbon played Steaua Bucharest to a scoreless tie.
U.S. Open Cup: Bradley Wright-Phillips scored two of the visiting New York Red Bulls’ goals in a 3-2 semifinal win over FC Cincinnati. New York will play for the championship Sept. 20 at Sporting Kansas City, which defeated the Earthquakes in a penalty-kick shootout last Wednesday.
MLS: Pablo Mastroeni was fired as head coach of the Colorado Rapids and replaced on an interim basis by assistant coach Steve Cooke.
The Rapids are 6-12-4 this season, their fourth under Mastroeni, who was 39-54-35 overall with a trip to the Western Conference finals last year.
World Cup: The committee that is hoping to bring the 2026 World Cup to the United States, Mexico and Canada is seeking bids from 44 cities that might be interested in hosting matches.
The United Bid Committee is considering 49 stadiums — including Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara — for inclusion in the official bid that will be sent to soccer’s international governing body, FIFA, in March.