THE SOCCER REPORT

Soccer Recap: Flamengo champions of South America, Man City comeback vs. Chelsea

Soccer Recap: Flamengo champions of South America, Man City comeback vs. Chelsea
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Manchester City

Copa Libertadores Final

Brazilian club Flamengo defeated Argentina's River Plate to claim the 2019 Copa Libertadores, the continental championship of South America. It is the second Libertadores in the club's history and first since 1981. River Plate held a 1-0 lead for 89 minutes before Gabriel Barbosa struck twice in the 89th minute and in second half stoppage time to turn the game on its head. Flamengo will represent CONMEBOL, the South American confederation, in December's FIFA Club World Cup.

The match was the first one-game final in the tournament's history and took place in Lima, Peru - moved from its original setting of Santiago, Chile due to the ongoing protests.

AFC Champions League

Saudi Arabia's Al-Hilal claimed their third AFC Champions League title with a 2-1 aggregate win over Japan's Urawa Red Diamonds. Former MLS MVP Sebastian Giovinco won Man of the Match honors for Al-Hilal, who now head to December's FIFA Club World Cup.

English Premier League

Top six: 1. Liverpool (37), 2. Leicester City (29), 3. Man City (28), 4. Chelsea (26), 5. Arsenal (19), 6. Sheffield Utd (18)

Bottom three (relegation): 18. Norwich City (10), 19. Southampton (9), 20. Watford (8)

Scoring leader: 12 - Jamie Vardy (Leicester City)

Assists leader: 9 - Kevin De Bruyne (Man City)

Spanish La Liga

Top six: 1. FC Barcelona (28), 2. Real Madrid (28), 3. Sevilla (27), 4. Atletico Madrid (25), 5. Athletic Bilbao (23), 6. Real Sociedad (23)

Bottom three: 18. Celta Vigo (12), 19. Espanyol (9), 20. Leganes (6)

Scoring leader: 10 - Karim Benzema (Real Madrid)

Assists leader: 5 - Lionel Messi (FC Barcelona)

German Bundesliga

Top six: 1. Monchengladbach (25), 2. RB Leipzig (24), 3. Bayern Munich (24), 4. Freiburg (22), 5. Schalke 04 (22), 6. Dortmund (20)

Bottom three: 16. Fortuna (11), 17. Cologne (7), 18. Paderborn (5)

Scoring leader: 16 - Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)

Assists leader: 7 - Thomas Muller (Bayern Munich)

Italian Serie A

Top six: 1. Juventus (35), 2. Inter Milan (34), 3. Lazio (27), 4. Cagliari (25), 5. Roma (25), 6. Atalanta (22)

Bottom three: 18. Genoa (10), 19. SPAL (9), 20. Brescia (7)

Scoring leader: 15 - Ciro Immobile (Lazio)

Assists leader: 9 - Luis Alberto (Lazio)

French Ligue 1

Top four: 1. PSG (33), 2. Marseille (25), 3. Angers (24), 4. Bordeaux (22)

Bottom three: 18. Metz (14), 19. Tolouse (12), 20. Nimes (11)

Scoring leader: 10 - Moussa Dembele (Lyon)

Assists leader: 7 - Islam Slimani (Monaco) / Yoann Court (Brest)

Liga MX

Liga MX Femenil

TV listings (All Times CT):

Tuesday, November 26

11:55 a.m. - [UEFA Champions League] Lokomotiv Moscow vs. Bayer Leverkusen (TNT, UniMas, TUDN)

11:55 a.m. - [UEFA Champions League] Galatasaray vs. Brugge (Galavision)

2:00 p.m. - [UEFA Champions League] Real Madrid vs. PSG (TNT, UniMas, TUDN)

2:00 p.m. - [UEFA Champions League] Juventus vs. Atletico Madrid (Galavision)

Wednesday, November 27

11:55 a.m. - [UEFA Champions League] Valencia vs. Chelsea (TNT, UniMas, TUDN)

11:55 a.m. - [UEFA Champions League] Zenit vs. Lyon (Galavision)

2:00 p.m. - [UEFA Champions League] FC Barcelona vs. Dortmund (UniMas, TUDN)

2:00 p.m. - [UEFA Champions League] Liverpool vs. Napoli (TNT, Galavision)

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Get ready for one of the best matchups of the season! Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images.

The Houston Texans and Buffalo Bills both enter Week 5 with identical records, looking to continue their strong early-season performances. The Texans, led by breakout quarterback C.J. Stroud, come off a thrilling 24-20 win over Jacksonville, while the Bills are seeking to bounce back after a disappointing 35-10 loss to Baltimore.

Bet MGM NFL Odds: Bills favored by 1
Against the Spread: Buffalo 2-2, Houston 0-3-1
Series Record: Texans lead 6-5
Last Meeting: Bills defeated Texans 40-0 (Oct. 3, 2021)

Key matchups and players to watch

Texans WR Nico Collins:
Collins has been one of the most productive receivers in the NFL this season, leading the league with 489 receiving yards. Coming off a career-best performance with 12 catches for 151 yards and a touchdown against Jacksonville, Collins will be a key target for Stroud against Buffalo’s strong secondary.

Bills DE A.J. Epenesa:
With Von Miller suspended, Epenesa will be expected to step up as Buffalo’s primary pass rusher. Epenesa has one sack through four starts and needs to take on a larger role with the absence of Miller, who leads the NFL's active players in sacks.

Texans WR Stefon Diggs vs. Former Team:
Diggs, who was traded to the Texans in the offseason, will face his former team for the first time. He has been productive for Houston, logging 233 yards and two receiving touchdowns this season, as well as his first career rushing touchdown last week.

Key injuries

The Bills face multiple injury concerns, including linebacker Terrel Bernard, cornerback Taron Johnson, and safety Taylor Rapp, all of whom are questionable. Buffalo's leading receiver Khalil Shakir (ankle) has been ruled out. The Texans could see the return of WR Tank Dell after he missed last week, though RB Joe Mixon is not expected to play. LT Laremy Tunsil is questionable, which could impact their offensive game plan.

Update: Aaron Wilson has the latest on which Texans players are practicing on Friday.

Team stats and trends

Bills Offense:
Buffalo’s offense ranks second in scoring but has been inconsistent, as seen in their 10-point showing against the Ravens last week. Josh Allen, while turnover-prone in the past, is on a four-game streak without throwing an interception.

Texans Defense:
Houston’s defense has been a standout, ranking fifth overall and excelling against the pass, which could be key against the Bills' passing attack. However, their 40 penalties this season have been a major issue, and they'll need more discipline to keep pace with Buffalo.

Texans Offense:
Houston's passing game has been stellar, with Stroud leading the Texans to the 8th-best offense overall and the 3rd-ranked passing attack. This will be a critical factor against Buffalo’s defense, which ranks 6th against the pass.

Fantasy tip

Look for Nico Collins to continue his dominant streak as Stroud’s top target. Collins has over 80 receiving yards in six straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL.

Final thoughts

This matchup pits a strong Texans passing game against a resilient Bills defense. Buffalo holds the slight edge in the spread, and with both teams vying for a crucial win, this should be a hard-fought contest.


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