Comebacks

BOUAKE — Hosts Ivory Coast kept up their incredible escape act at the Africa Cup of Nations as they came from behind to beat Mali 2-1 in Saturday’s quarterfinal, scoring a last-gasp goal in extra time to book a semifinal with the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Oumar Diakite got a touch to Seko Fofana’s strike to win the game for the Ivorians, who played with 10 men for most of the match after Odilon Kossounou was sent off shortly before halftime.

NEWCASTLE — Newcastle United fought back from two goals down in a rollercoaster 4-4 draw against Luton Town, who stayed just outside the Premier League drop zone, at St James' Park on Saturday.

Newcastle vs Luton highlights

Newcastle looked set for a comfortable home win when Sean Longstaff put them ahead after seven minutes but Luton, who thrashed Brighton 4-0 on Tuesday, equalized twice to go in 2-2 at the break.

MADRID — A Dani Carvajal strike in the ninth-minute of stoppage time rescued Real Madrid, earning them a 3-2 comeback win at home against bottom side Almeria on Sunday in a frantic LaLiga tussle that was marked by VAR controversy.

Real climbed to the top of the LaLiga standings on 51 points, two ahead Girona who host Sevilla later on Sunday.

UDINE — A stoppage-time goal by striker Noah Okafor secured AC Milan a 3-2 win at lowly Udinese in Serie A on Saturday after the game was briefly suspended in the first half due to racist chants towards Milan goalkeeper Mike Maignan.

Racist chants Milan game

An own goal by defender Stefan Savic and a strike by Brahim Diaz late in extra time gave Real Madrid a 5-3 comeback win over city rivals Atletico in a rip-roaring Spanish Super Cup semi-final in Riyadh on Wednesday.

Atletico opened the scoring from a Mario Hermoso header in the sixth minute, but Real fought back through Antonio Rudiger and Ferland Mendy, before Antoine Griezmann equalized in the 37th minute with a brilliant long-range strike.

SHEFFIELD — Jack Robinson and Anis Ben Slimane scored own goals in the final 13 minutes as Sheffield United let a late lead slip and lost 3-2 to fellow Premier League strugglers Luton Town at Bramall Lane on Tuesday.

United deservedly drew level just past the hour-mark as Oli McBurnie scored his third goal of the season, and they led when Luton failed to clear a cross and after a scramble in the box, Anel Ahmedhodzic scored.

Christian Pulisic netted his first Champions League goal in 637 days during AC Milan’s 2-1 victory vs. Newcastle on Wednesday. The result wasn’t enough for Milan to advance to the Round of 16 but did qualify the Italian club for the Europa League knockout playoffs.

In order to advance out of their Champions League group Milan needed to defeat Newcastle and required some help from Borussia Dortmund to best Paris Saint-Germain, however that game ended 1-1.

The United States women’s national team ended the 2023 calendar year with a 2-1 comeback victory vs. China on Tuesday.

Interim head coach Twila Kilgore utilized an interesting 3-4-2-1 formation that had a blend of familiar names and newcomers.

Unfortunately, the first half reflected just that: Many players who haven’t played much time together in a formation they didn’t appear comfortable in. There was little to discuss about the USWNT’s attack in the first half.

Ricardo Pepi scored his first ever Champions League goal on Wednesday and it couldn’t have come at a better time as he headed in the game-winning goal during PSV’s group stage game vs. Sevilla.

A rough start for PSV saw the Dutch club down 2-0 on the road in Seville and needing a miracle. That wish was granted with Lucas Ocampos getting sent off for Sevilla in the 66th minute which completely shifted the momentum.

PSV clawed back to make it 2-2 but were searching for a winner.