Yamal's goal and assist propel Barcelona to Champions League round of 16

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Lamine Yamal came through for Barcelona again.

With an assist and a goal, Yamal led Barcelona's comeback against Copenhagen and helped the Catalan club secure a top-eight finish in the league phase of the Champions League on Wednesday.

With a 4-1 victory at home, Barcelona ended in fifth place to reach an automatic spot in the round of 16.

“These are the nights you dream of playing in and winning when you are a kid," said Yamal, who was chosen the man of the match. “A fantastic night and we achieve our objective.”

Copenhagen surprised early with 17-year-old Viktor Dadason scoring for the visitors in a breakaway four minutes into the match in Barcelona, but Yamal started Barcelona's rally by assisting on Robert Lewandowski's 48th-minute goal and then scored the go-ahead goal himself in the 60th.

“He has to adapt because the opponent almost always has two or three players on him," Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said of Yamal. "Today his speed for the first goal and that he attacked the deep space was fantastic. He also ran back and tracked and worked defensively. Copenhagen couldn’t go straight to our goal that one time because he was there. He’s improved but he has absolutely fantastic quality. He’s amazing.”

Raphinha and Marcus Rashford later sealed Barcelona's victory — its 14th in its last 15 matches in all competitions.

The 18-year Yamal has been the top Barcelona player in the last few years and he proved his worth again on Wednesday.

He dribbled into the area before setting up Lewandowski's equalizer, then hit a curling shot from the right side of the box to add the second goal. The ball deflected on a defender before hitting the top corner by the far post.

Dadason's goal was his third in the Champions League before turning 18. Yamal had the most ever in the tournament with five.

Copenhagen ended 31st in the 36-team league phase.

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Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Copenhagen in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates with Raphinha his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Copenhagen in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates his side's second goal during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Copenhagen in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Raphinha celebrates with Lamine Yamal his side's third goal from a penalty kick during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Copenhagen in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

Barcelona's Lamine Yamal fights for the ball against Copenhagen's goalkeeper Dominik Kotarski during the Champions League opening phase soccer match between Barcelona and Copenhagen in Barcelona, Spain, on Wednesday, Jan. 28, 2026. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

The average long-term U.S. mortgage rate climbed this week to its highest level in nearly a year, driving up borrowing costs for prospective homebuyers.

The benchmark 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate rose to 6.55% from 6.49% last week, mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday. One year ago, the average rate was 6.75%.

Higher mortgage rates can add hundreds of dollars a month in costs for borrowers, limiting homebuyers’ purchasing power at a time when affordability challenges continue to sideline many aspiring homeowners.

Mortgage rates are influenced by several factors, from the Federal Reserve’s interest rate policy decisions to bond market investors’ expectations for the economy and inflation. They generally follow the trajectory of the 10-year Treasury yield, which lenders use as a guide to pricing home loans.

Rates have been mostly rising this year as the war with Iran has driven crude oil prices sharply higher, stoking expectations of hotter inflation. That's pushed up long-term bond yields relative to where they were before the conflict began in late February, causing mortgage rates to trend higher.

The 10-year Treasury yield was 4.57% at midday Thursday on the bond market, up from 4.54% a week ago. It was just 3.97% in late February, before the war broke out.

The average rate on a 30-year mortgage is now the highest it's been since Aug. 28, when it was at 6.56%. As recently as late February, the average rate dropped slightly below 6% for the first time since late 2022.

Borrowing costs on 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, often sought by borrowers refinancing a home loan, also rose this week. That average rate increased to 5.93% from 5.82% last week. A year ago, it was at 5.92%, Freddie Mac said.

A report this week showing prices paid by consumers for gas, clothes and other goods cooled last month could help take pressure off the Federal Reserve, which is considering raising interest rates.

The central bank doesn’t set mortgage rates, but its decisions to raise or lower its short-term rate are watched closely by bond investors and can ultimately affect the yield on 10-year Treasurys.

That cooler inflation reading “is a step in the right direction, but until mortgage rates actually follow suit, buyers will keep feeling the pinch of stubbornly high borrowing costs even as other conditions improve,” said Hannah Jones, senior economist at Realtor.com.

While average long-term mortgage rates remain lower than they were at this time last year, their upward trajectory has weighed on home sales this year.

And the latest monthly tally of home purchase transactions that have yet to be finalized points to potentially more sluggish home sales this summer.

Pending U.S. home sales fell 5.4% in June from the previous months and were down 0.3% from June last year, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. There’s usually a month or two lag between a contract signing and when the sale is finalized, which makes pending home sales a near-term bellwether for the housing market.

Data on mortgage applications also signal that the upward trend in mortgage rates has given some would-be homebuyers reason to pause.

Mortgage applications, which include loans to buy a home or refinance an existing mortgage, fell 2.7% last week from the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. The pullback was driven mainly by a 7% drop in applications to buy a home.

FILE - A sign is posted for a new home for sale in Ambler, Pa., Oct. 16, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)