History

LEVERKUSEN — Bayer Leverkusen staged a stunning late comeback to move into the Europa League final with a 2-2 draw at home against AS Roma on Thursday as they won 4-2 on aggregate and set the longest unbeaten run in all competitions including European matches.

Bundesliga champions Leverkusen, who have also reached this month's German Cup final as they chase a treble, played their 49th match without defeat to surpass Benfica's record set from 1963–65 but they had to battle for the second leg draw.

49 GAMES

Brazil's bid to host the 2027 Women's World Cup scored higher than its rival, a joint bid from Belgium, Netherlands and Germany, in a FIFA's evaluation report released on Tuesday.

The world soccer governing body bid report came ahead of the vote at the 74th FIFA Congress in Bangkok on May 17, which will decide where the next Women's World Cup will be held.

Diego Maradona's Golden Ball trophy won for being named the best player at the 1986 World Cup will be auctioned in France in June, the Aguttes auction house said on Tuesday.

This is the first Golden Ball to go for auction and while the value is still to be confirmed, the auction house expects it to fetch millions on June 6.

EL DIEGO DE LOS MILAGROS

Increíble: el Balón de Oro que ganó Maradona por ser el mejor jugador del Mundial 1986 fue robado en 1989 y se creía que lo habían derretido

Borussia Dortmund great Marco Reus will depart the club at the end of the season the 34-year-old announced on Friday. After joining the club in the summer of 2012, he’ll give his emotional farewell 12 years later.

Reus spoke to Dortmund supporters via social media to announce the news.

Marco Reus leaving Dortmund

A message from Marco. pic.twitter.com/gQCHG8AUOf

The United States women’s national team will say goodbye to another star as defender Kelley O’Hara announced her plans to retire at the end of the 2024 NWSL season.

O’Hara goes down as one of the best fullbacks in USWNT history as her 14-year career with the national team saw her win two World Cups and a gold medal in the 2012 Olympics.

Goals from Aidan Morris and Diego Rossi on either side of halftime led the Columbus Crew to a 3-1 victory over Monterrey on Wednesday in Guadalupe, Mexico, giving the Crew a 5-2 aggregate win in the CONCACAF Champions Cup semifinals.

Columbus, the reigning MLS Cup champion, opened the semifinal series with a 2-1 home victory on April 24.

The Crew advance to oppose another Mexican team, Pachuca, in the final on June 2. Pachuca beat Liga MX rival Club America 2-1 on Tuesday to cap a 3-2 semifinal victory.

Incoming United States women’s national team head coach Emma Hayes sent shockwaves through the women’s soccer world on Saturday as her Chelsea side defeated Barcelona 1-0 on the road in the first leg of the Women’s Champions League semifinal.

The defending Champions League winners were undefeated at home in the previous FIVE YEARS. Hayes’ side limited Barcelona, who had scored 33 goals in eight Champions League games this season, to just one shot on target.

The result is also Barcelona’s first defeat of the season.

Dutch side Vitesse Arnhem have been given an 18-point deduction due to licensing issues on Friday and will be relegated, ending 35 years of uninterrupted play in the top flight Eredivisie.

The Dutch Football Association (KNVB) independent licensing committee imposed the deduction, placing the club at the bottom of the standings with minus one point with four matches remaining.

Vitesse point deduction

| Dutch club Vitesse have been deducted 18 POINTS! ❌

Retired Brazil striker Romario has registered as a player for America-RJ, the Rio de Janeiro state second division side the 58-year-old is now president of, and is set to make a return to the sport 15 years after he stopped playing.

Romario, who retired in 2008 and became America's sporting director in 2009, played for Brazil in two World Cups, scoring five goals to guide them to victory in 1994.