Sports
Mata eases pressure on Solskjaer as Manchester United thrash Newcastle 4-1
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Manchester United beat Newcastle 4-1, thanks to goals from Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Marcus Rashford on Saturday, but it was Juan Mata who made the difference for Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s side.
Solskjaer, under pressure after United’s joint-worst defeat of the Premier League era, made five changes from the side thrashed by Spurs and most of the focus ahead of kick-off fell on the players left out. Paul Pogba was the most high-profile to lose his spot. There was no place in the side for Donny van de Beek or Alex Telles either.
But it was one of the players who came into the side who made the biggest impact on the game. Mata had not played a single minute of Manchester United’s first three Premier League fixtures this season. In fact, he had not made a single start in the competition since February.
On this evidence, however, the 32-year-old still has plenty to offer, according to a Sky Sport report.
Mata was not among the scorers at St James’ Park – those were Harry Maguire, Bruno Fernandes, Aaron Wan-Bissaka and Marcus Rashford – but United’s best attacking performance in months owed more to him than anyone else. The Spaniard was outstanding from start to finish.
Mata lined up on the right-hand side of United’s attack, the position occupied by Mason Greenwood against Spurs, but his interpretation of the role was very different. What he lacks in pace and power, he makes up for in vision and imagination.
Mata popped up everywhere, drifting into pockets of space wherever he saw them, creating space for Wan-Bissaka to bomb forward on the overlap, and linking up with Fernandes at every opportunity.
By the end, the pair had exchanged passes 31 times. Their combination play resulted in a goal after 19 minutes, only for VAR to rule it out for offside, and there were plenty more examples. Shortly after half-time, there was another mesmerising one-two to manufacture an opening for Fred.
Mata provided Fernandes with the service he has lacked for much of this season and the Portuguese was not the only one to benefit for his presence. Over the course of the 90 minutes, there were also superb passes for Wan-Bissaka and Rashford, one of which released the latter in the build-up to Fernandes’ goal.
Mata knitted everything together, his touch-map underlining his influence all over the pitch, and it was exactly what United needed.
Their biggest issue under Solskjaer has been an inability to break down opponents who sit deep and prevent them from playing on the break. It was for precisely that reason that the trip to St James’ Park looked like an awkward one. But with Mata orchestrating proceedings, it was not a problem.
Instead, Solskjaer’s side were slick in possession and created scoring chances with ease. Indeed, it was only thanks to Newcastle goalkeeper Karl Darlow’s sharp reflexes that the game was not dead and buried long before the late flurry of goals that sealed the victory.
The statistics underlined their effectiveness. United’s total of 28 shots, including 14 on target, was the highest by any Premier League side in a single game so far this season. It was also more than United managed in any game in the whole of the last campaign.
Mata only registered one assist, the corner from which Maguire headed home United’s equaliser, but his influence was far greater than that and Solskjaer acknowledged as much in his post-match press conference, praising him for grasping his opportunity after his spell out of the side.
“He played fantastic,” said Solskjaer. “He’s such a professional and everyone in the team knows his quality. He’s been so patient waiting for his chance.
“I get a lot of questions, ‘Why doesn’t he play? Why doesn’t he play?’ But it’s because we have many good players, and it’s about taking your chances when you do. Juan has definitely done so.”
Mata walked off the pitch with a grin on his face when he made way for Nemanja Matic in the final few minutes of the game and Solskjaer looked similarly elated after the final whistle.
The manager’s credentials had been questioned during United’s poor start to the season and the scrutiny won’t end with this victory – especially with games against Paris Saint-Germain, Chelsea, RB Leipzig and Arsenal to come in the weeks ahead.
But the pressure on his shoulders ahead of that testing run of fixtures is at least a little lighter than it was before kick-off at St James’ Park, and that’s largely thanks to his decision to turn to Mata.
Sports
Lookman brace, Osimhen’s goal give Nigeria 3-0 victory over Benin Rep
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Lookman brace, Osimhen’s goal give Nigeria 3-0 victory over Benin Rep
Ademola Lookman scored a brace while Victor Osimhen came off the bench to help Nigeria’s Super Eagles to a comfortable 3-0 victory in the Africa Cup of Nations qualifying match against Benin Republic.
Lookman scored in both halves. Osimhen struck in second half of the game.
The victory takes Nigeria to the top of Group D as they prepare for the next tie against Rwanda on Tuesday, September 10.
It serves as a confidence booster for the Nigerian side that struggled against the Cheetahs when they met last in a 2026 World Cup qualifying game. Gernot Rohr’s side came from behind to win the one 2-1.
Sports
Rodrygo scores as Brazil beat Ecuador in World Cup qualifier
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Rodrygo scores as Brazil beat Ecuador in World Cup qualifier
Brazil got back to winning ways in the South American World Cup qualifiers with a drab 1-0 victory over Ecuador on Friday thanks to first-half goal by Real Madrid forward Rodrygo.
After its first streak of losses in three successive qualifiers, Brazil did just enough to earn the win that lifted the struggling five-time World Cup champions to fourth in the standings with 10 points.
They are eight points behind leaders Argentina and only two points over Ecuador in sixth, the last spot guaranteed a berth at the 2026 finals.
Playing their first match after a disappointing Copa America defeat to Uruguay in the quarter-final, Brazil had another lacklustre performance, dominating possession but failing to create clear chances throughout the match.
Brazil misplaced too many passes and struggled to connect up front, out of ideas on how to beat Ecuador’s rock solid defensive block.
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Ecuador were relentless while applying a physically aggressive pressure high with three hardworking forwards, making the locals uncomfortable when putting the ball in play. They Brazil almost no room to get inside their box either, forcing them to roam the ball horizontally around their penalty area and resort to strikes from long range.
Brazil’s only two shots on target on the first half were made by Rodrygo, who, after stinging the goalkeeper’s hands from a free kick early, were lucky to break the deadlock in the 29th minute. His effort fired from the edge of the box deflected off a defender and arched around the wrong-footed goalkeeper before hitting the right post and finding the back of the net.
Ecuador almost levelled in a counterattack right before the break, but defender Gabriel Magalhaes denied Moises Caicedo’s effort with a last-minute goal-line clearance.
Brazil came back even worse in the second half, with an uninspired Vinicius Jr creating their only shot on target in an absolutely morose 45 minutes, with boos greeting the final whistle.
“We needed this win, doesn’t matter if it was ugly or not. I’m happy with the victory and to have scored, and I hope it helps us getting better and progressing to the level that we want to reach moving forward,” Rodrygo told Brazilian TV Globo.
Rodrygo scores as Brazil beat Ecuador in World Cup qualifier
Sports
Paralympics: Onyinyechi Mark wins Nigeria’s first gold medal
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Paralympics: Onyinyechi Mark wins Nigeria’s first gold medal
Nigeria’s Onyinyechi Mark has made history at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games by breaking the Paralympic record in the women’s 61kg powerlifting category, with a lift of 147kg.
Mark’s performance surpassed the previous record held by fellow Nigerian Lucy Ejike, marking an iconic achievement for Team Nigeria.
With one lift remaining, Onyinyechi Mark has all but guaranteed Nigeria’s first gold medal of the Games.
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Her closest rival is attempting 138kg on her final lift, while Mark aims to extend her record with a final attempt of 147kg, further cementing her dominance in the sport.
Team Nigeria has long been a powerhouse in Paralympic powerlifting and athletics.
At the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics, the country secured an impressive 10 medals, including four golds.
Athletes such as Lucy Ejike and Bose Omolayo have set global benchmarks, with Ejike herself holding multiple world records and gold medals in powerlifting.
Paralympics: Onyinyechi Mark wins Nigeria’s first gold medal
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