Newcomer Japanese substitute Ayase Ueda gave his team Lille a temporary lead by scoring the only winning goal against host Toulouse 1-0, at the opening of the fourth stage of the French Football League on Thursday.
Ueda, who came to France three days ago in a deal worth 15 million euros, and who had entered in the 57th minute instead of veteran Olivier Giroud (39 years old), scored the three-point goal in his first match with Lille after he headed a ball that was narrowly cleared by young goalkeeper Mathis Nifleur, who in turn entered in place of Guillaume Rest (73).
Ueda (28 years old) scored 25 goals with Feyenoord Rotterdam in 31 matches in the Dutch League last season, to be crowned top scorer. He also won the cup title in 2024.
Lille, which achieved its second victory in exchange for a draw, raised its score to 7 points in first place temporarily, pending the rest of the results of the stage, while Toulouse’s score froze at an orphan point in sixteenth place.
Lille, coached by Davide Ancelotti, son of the famous coach Carlo, prepared in the best possible way for its match against Spanish Real Betis on Tuesday in the unified group stage of the Champions League competition.
Lille sold the young Moroccan talent, Ayoub Bouadi, to Manchester City, England, for 100 million euros, and Belgian Mathias Fernandez-Pardew, for 60 million, to Newcastle, before the transfer market closed.
The four-time French champions started the league with a 2-0 win over Angers, before surrendering a two-goal lead at home to Paris Saint-Germain, the defending champion, to emerge with a 2-2 draw.
The Philippines' Alexandra Ayala defeated the Ukrainian Oleksandra Oleinikova 6-1, 6-4 to qualify for the third round of the US Open tennis tournament on Thursday, which maintained and enhanced the enthusiasm among her fans in New York.
The 21-year-old lost to Olenikova in Strasbourg earlier this year, but she found the right recipe this time, as it only took her just over an hour to settle the match.
In the next match, Eala will meet the winner of American Iva Jovic and British Francesca Jones.
“My patience and consistent focus - I think that was the key to winning the match today,” Ayala said.
After her victory in Washington last month, which marked a turning point in her career, Eala seemed ready to make a wonderful participation in Flushing Meadows, and won the first four games in the first set, which she completely controlled.
The two players exchanged breaks in a more competitive second set. Ayala broke her opponent's serve from the back line of the court in the seventh game before pressing hard and clinching the set with an ace to the joy of the crowd. Philippine flags filled the stands.
The first player from the Philippines to win a match in the WTA tournaments received warm encouragement from her compatriots at Louis Armstrong Stadium, and banners were raised urging her to continue the struggle.
“I think we all stand for something,” Ayala said. “I am proud of what I represent.”
Taylor Fritz made another strong performance to easily defeat Mattia Bellucci 6-0, 6-1, 6-1 and qualify for the third round of the US Open tennis tournament today (Thursday), continuing his strong start in the tournament without losing a set so far.
Fritz is considered one of the most prominent candidates to end the 23-year American wait for a local champion to emerge in the men's singles competitions in one of the major tournaments since Andy Roddick was crowned the US Open champion, and the ninth seed strengthened this hope after strong performances in his first two matches.
“I went into the match feeling really good,” Fritz said after his crushing 98-minute victory. I was confident in my playing style. Throughout the match, I didn't feel very nervous. “I played in an attacking style, which was great.” He added: “It is fun to play a match like this at Arthur Ashe Stadium.” "I don't know if there's anything better than that. It's a great feeling."
The runner-up in the 2024 edition did not give his Italian competitor almost any opportunity to impose his presence in the match. He imposed his style from the back line of the court, and set off at a fast pace in the first set, which ended in 35 minutes without losing any game on the main court.
With a timely ace in a tight game, Bellucci, ranked 95th in the world, won his first game of the next set, but Fritz (28 years old) took complete control of the match after that, and the local crowd favorite won consecutive games to double his lead in the match. Bellucci was unable to change the course of the confrontation in the third set. إذ واصل فريتز سيطرته ليحسم فوزاً سهلاً آخر، ويحجز موعداً مع المصنف 24 فرانسيسكو سيروندولو، مواصلاً التقدم في مساعيه للفوز بأول له في البطولات الكبرى.
