Gabriel Pirani scored the equalizer in a four-goal first half to help the Galaxy earn a 2-2 draw with San Diego FC on Saturday night.
The Galaxy (10-11-10) jumped in front in the fourth minute when Sergi Roberto set up João Klauss for his ninth goal in 14 appearances this season.
Anders Dreyer pulled San Diego (8-12-10) even in the 10th minute when he scored on a penalty kick. Dreyer’s 13th goal of the season came after Cédric Bakambu was fouled by Galaxy goalkeeper JT Marcinkowski.
The Galaxy regained the lead seven minutes later when Erik Thommy used assists from Harbor Miller and Marco Reus to score for the second time this season.
Pirani netted the equalizer in the 39th minute to cap the scoring. It was the midfielder’s fourth goal in 10 matches this season.
Marcinkowski finished with five saves for the Galaxy, who have gone 4-2-2 since the start of September.
Pablo Sisniega saved seven shots in his second start this season for San Diego, which beat the Galaxy 3-1 at home to close out August but hasn’t won since — going 0-4-4.
Taylor Suarez scored in the 91st minute goal to lift Angel City (12-8-7) to a 1-1 draw against host Gotham FC at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, N.J.
Suarez scored her third goal of her rookie season off an assist from Emily Sams.
Gotham (16-4-7) broke through first when Midge Purce found Rose Lavelle, who slipped a diagonal pass back to Jaedyn Shaw. Shaw met it with a one-touch shot past Angel City goalkeeper Angelina Anderson for her 10th goal of the season.
Ireland and Israel drew 1-1 in a second ill-tempered Nations League match. Irish and Israeli players wore black armbands to commemorate lives lost in Gaza and in the October 7 attacks, before tensions flared at half time over allegations of spitting.
Brazilian President Lula da Silva held his final campaign rally in Rio de Janeiro on Friday, while his opponent, Flavio Bolsonaro drew thousands to the streets of Montes Carlos in the country’s interior. The candidates are locked in a virtual tie ahead of the October 4 election.
Sebastien Pocognoli’s first match in charge of Scotland ends in a goalless draw against Slovenia as they are made to rue several missed chances in Ljubljana.
Senegal draw with Mozambique, and Nigeria edge past Madagascar, but Cape Verde beaten by Mali in AFCON qualifying openers.
Published On 26 Sep 202626 Sep 2026
Former France star Patrick Vieira debuted as Senegal coach by drawing 1-1 in Mozambique, and Nigeria survived a scare to edge Madagascar 2-1 in Africa Cup of Nations qualifying on Friday.
Cape Verde, admired for holding eventual 2026 World Cup winners Spain and taking Argentina to extra time before bowing out, crashed 3-1 away to Mali.
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Egypt were held 0-0 at home by Angola while Morocco and Algeria won comfortably against Gabon and Zambia respectively.
Aston Villa striker Nicolas Jackson put controversial 2026 AFCON runners-up Senegal ahead after 32 minutes with a close-range tap off a low cross.
But Geny Catamo from Portuguese giants Sporting levelled in first-half added time, firing a shot from outside the box through a crowded goalmouth into the far corner of the net.
Senegal had plenty of second-half possession in Maputo, but could not find a way past a well-organised Mozambican defence.
Originally scheduled for Senegal, the matchday one fixture in Group J was moved to Maputo as no stadium in the West African nation currently meets international standards.
Vieira, 50, was a midfielder in the French teams that won the 1998 World Cup and 2000 European Championship, and also starred for Arsenal.
But he has had less success as a coach with clubs in the United States, France, England and Italy. He left Genoa last November with the club winless and bottom of Serie A.
Dakar-born Vieira has inherited from sacked Pape Thiaw a Senegal team in transition during a dramatic year in which they were stripped of the AFCON title and flopped at the World Cup.
The Teranga Lions temporarily walked off the pitch to protest a penalty awarded in the AFCON final to hosts Morocco, who missed the kick when Senegal returned.
Senegal won 1-0 after extra time only for the African confederation CAF to later award Morocco a 3-0 victory.
An appeal by the West Africans against the decision will be heard by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on October 8.
After losing to France and Norway at the World Cup, Senegal hammered Iraq to squeeze into the round of 32, where they fell to Belgium after surrendering a two-goal lead.
Against Mozambique, Senegal were without recently retired goalkeeper Edouard Mendy and injured striker Sadio Mane. Fellow stalwarts Kalilou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye were on the bench.
Nigeria, shock non-qualifiers for the past two World Cups, fell behind at home to Madagascar when Ehsan Kari scored after 16 minutes in Uyo.
A Super Eagles side lacking injured star striker Victor Osimhen were then rescued by two international debutants.
Saudi Arabia-based George Ilenikhena, 20, burst through to equalise in first-half added time and substitute Moses Usor from Austrian champions LASK snatched the 65th-minute winner.
Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha, a star at the World Cup, gifted Mali their third goal in the defeat before a wildly excited crowd of 50,000 in Bamako.
He dashed outside his area to control the ball with his chest, then lost possession and Dorgeles Nene struck the loose ball into an unguarded net.
Mali, arguably the strongest football nation never to win the AFCON, dominated from start to finish and led within five minutes through Martial Tia.
Cape Verde levelled when a Sidny Cabral free-kick was deflected into the net. Mali regained the lead as half-time approached through Nene.
Manchester United head coach Michael Carrick is impressed his side “kept their belief” to come from a goal down to earn a draw against Fulham at Craven Cottage.
To attract patrons, the Los Angeles County Library turned to some of the most familiar faces on earth: Hello Kitty and her friends.
The bet seemed to be paying off Friday, as thousands of adults flocked to local branches to snag library cards featuring the adorable anthropomorphic gang on launch day.
The county’s library director, Skye Patrick, told The Times Thursday evening that they were bracing for “complete mayhem.”
A library spokesperson said they were still tallying the number of card sign-ups, but at least 4,400 had been issued as of Friday afternoon.
One of them went to Mar Vista resident Sisa Salazar.
“I thought it was super cute,” the 22-year-old said as she waited in line at the Marina del Rey branch Friday afternoon.
The florist used to frequent the library in high school, checking out books and watching shows. But she lost her card in recent years.
So when she came across the special Hello Kitty-themed card on Instagram, she took the opportunity to get a replacement.
Shortly after 2 p.m. Friday, the line for Hello Kitty library cards at the Marina del Rey branch stretched out the door.
(Iris Kwok / Los Angeles Times)
The Marina del Rey library remained busy throughout the afternoon, with a steady line of more than 50 people stretching out the door. Across town, dozens of people lined up outside the South Whittier Library before its 10 a.m. opening, hoping to be among the first to snag the card.
The West Hollywood, Carson, West Covina, La Mirada, Marina del Rey and Alondra branches ran out of cards on the first day, library spokesperson Jessica Lee wrote in an email. She noted the cards can still be found at other locations and roving bookmobiles.
In addition to Hello Kitty, the card depicts several other recognizable characters produced by the Japanese company Sanrio: My Melody, Kuromi, Pompompurin, Keroppi, Cinnamoroll, Chococat and Pochacco.
Many people in line in Marina del Rey chatted about their favorite Sanrio characters and exchanged childhood memories.
Playa del Rey resident Rebecca Leach, 43, already has an L.A. County Library card, which she often uses to read e-books on the Libby app.
Playa del Rey resident Rebecca Leach said she wanted to get the Hello Kitty library card because she grew up with the character and finds it nostalgic.
(Iris Kwok / Los Angeles Times)
But for the registered nurse, who dons a Hello Kitty badge reel at work, nostalgia was part of the card’s appeal. She has fond childhood memories of playing with a color-changing Hello Kitty plush toy. Leach visited several branches Friday before finding a manageable line in Marina del Rey.
“I think it’s great that they’re promoting the library more and doing outreach,” said Jolyne Jimenez, 51, a library assistant at the Santa Monica Public Library and fan of My Melody.
She spent her day off at the Marina del Rey library waiting for the card. (The Santa Monica Public Library is independent of the L.A. County Library system.)
Limited-edition library cards aren’t new in L.A. County. Previous popular designs have included cards commemorating the centennial of the 19th Amendment and the FIFA World Cup, Patrick said.
“What is uncommon is this amount of buzz,” Patrick said, adding that she hoped the heavy interest in the card would translate to increased awareness of the library’s offerings — not just books and e-books, but streaming content, household tools, musical instruments and podcast equipment.
The Hello Kitty card is available through Oct. 18, Patrick said. The library has permission to use Sanrio’s characters for one month for free and plans to restock the cards before the collaboration period ends.
