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Brazilian soccer players push-start ambulance

Associated PressSep 16, 2018, 10:08 PM EDT
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SAO PAULO (AP) Brazilian soccer players have had to push-start an ambulance to get an injured comrade on his way to the hospital.

The incident occurred Saturday during a top-division match in Brasilia between two rivals from Rio de Janeiro, Flamengo and Vasco de Gama.

An ambulance was called into the pitch when Vasco da Gama’s Bruno Silva was knocked out in a clash for the ball.

Silva was loaded into the ambulance, but its engine failed to turn over.

Video broadcast by Brazil’s Globoesporte website showed eight players from both teams pushing the ambulance until it started, and it then drove away.

Silva was released from the hospital and returned to Rio de Janeiro on Sunday after tests showed he was in good condition.

Fire put four past Orlando in first win since June

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By Matt ReedSep 16, 2018, 7:20 PM EDT
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In a battle of two of the Eastern Conference’s bottom-dwellers the Chicago Fire came away victorious for the first time in nearly three months.

The Fire topped Orlando City SC, 4-0, on Sunday at Toyota Park behind a brace from striker Nemanja Nikolic.

Veljko Paunovic’s side picked up its first win since a June 30 decision over playoff-bound New York City FC, while Orlando has yet to win since mid-July and secured just five points since May.

Nikolic opened up the scoring after just three minutes before Aleksandar Katai doubled the Fire’s lead ahead of the half-hour mark.

Michael de Leeuw and Nikolic capped off the scoring for the hosts in the second half, and gave Chicago a three-point edge over the Lions in the Eastern Conference standings.

Through 28 matches, the Fire currently have 27 points, while Orlando has 24 points.

Video: Payet scores unreal long-distance volley

AP Photo/Claude Paris
By Matt ReedSep 16, 2018, 6:38 PM EDT
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Technique, degree of difficulty and execution were all critical in Dimitri Payet‘s strike on Sunday for Olympique Marseille, and the France international perfected every aspect with his finish.

The former West Ham United standout scored one of the best goals of the weekend in Marseille’s 4-0 win against Guingamp.

The veteran attacker received the ball outside the box in the 73rd minute, and without a blink of an eye Payet opened up his body and volleyed home a ridiculous strike to score the game’s second goal.

Wright-Phillips hat trick rescues Red Bulls against DC

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By Matt ReedSep 16, 2018, 5:03 PM EDT
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Josef Martinez’s historic season in Major League Soccer has dominated the headlines, but Bradley Wright-Phillips continues to come up in big moments for his side.

The New York Red Bulls earned a 3-3 draw against D.C. United on Sunday at Audi Field behind Wright-Phillips’ hat-trick.

Despite trailing on three separate occasions, Wright-Phillips and his side answered accordingly to pick up a point and deny their Eastern Conference rivals a crucial victory.

Paul Arriola opened the scoring for D.C. in the 25th minute, before Wright-Phillips equalized four minutes before halftime.

D.C. restored their advantage through Wayne Rooney and Luciano Acosta in the second stanza, however, it wasn’t enough for the visitors to gain all three points and close the gap on the Montreal Impact for the sixth playoff spot in the East.

Reims ‘keeper makes brilliant saves in 0-0 draw at Nantes

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Associated PressSep 16, 2018, 3:45 PM EDT
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PARIS (AP) Reims goalkeeper Edouard Mendy made a series of decisive saves to help his team to a goalless draw at Nantes in the French league on Sunday.

Reims, which gained promotion last season by securing the second-division title, played with an efficient five-man midfield that smothered most of the hosts’ attacking moves. And when Nantes managed to break through, Mendy was decisive in his goal.

In the first half, Mendy stopped a dangerous cross from Enock Kwateng in the 31st minute then pushed away efforts from Emiliano Sala and Samuel Moutoussamy.

Gabriel Boschilia came close to breaking the deadlock in the 64th minute for Nantes with a well taken free kick but Mendy made a brilliant diving save.

Still looking for a first home win this season, Nantes remains in 17th place two points behind Reims after five rounds of matches, lagging 10 points behind leader Paris Saint-Germain.