Sports

Barcelona 2-2 Man Utd: Rashford and Raphinha shine in Europa League thriller at the Nou Camp

Published

2 years ago

February 17, 2023

Marcus Rashford

Marcus Rashford and Raphinha both got on the scoresheet as the first leg of the Europa League playoff tie between Barcelona and Man Utd ended as a 2-2 draw.

Thursday’s meeting lived up to the billing as supporters were treated to a thrilling European clash.

Rashford scored his 22nd goal of the season and fizzed in a cross that Jules Kounde turned into his own net as United responded brilliantly to Marcos Alonso’s opener for Barcelona after 50 minutes.

United shone in Spain but Raphinha’s cross found its way into the net to peg them back and sparked a breathless conclusion to a wild tie, setting up a mouth-watering return fixture at Old Trafford next week.

Thursday’s meeting lived up to the billing as supporters were treated to a thrilling European clash.

Rashford scored his 22nd goal of the season and fizzed in a cross that Jules Kounde turned into his own net as United responded brilliantly to Marcos Alonso’s opener for Barcelona after 50 minutes.

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For all of United’s positivity it was Barcelona that took the lead five minutes into the second half as former Chelsea defender Alonso rose to head home a corner.

But Ten Hag’s men are made of stern stuff and Rashford is in the form of his life, with the forward thumping home from an acute angle and then sending over a ball that Kounde turned into his own goal.

It was a mightily impressive display but United were not to end with a 2-1 comeback win at the Nou Camp like 1999, with Raphinha’s dangerous inswinging cross going straight in after Robert Lewandowski had tried to get a touch on it.

United rode their luck at the end of a game that started with Lewandowski testing David De Gea with a firm ninth-minute effort.

Barca attempted to pull United in different directions to create gaps and Pedri struck a snapshot over after Luke Shaw – again shifted centrally from left-back – blocked his initial flick-on

United soon regained their composure and attacking instincts, with Aaron Wan-Bissaka breaking free down the right and cutting back for Jadon Sancho to see an effort deflect narrowly wide.

A bigger chance followed in the 28th minute as Fernandes superbly passed between the hosts’ centre-back pairing to put Weghorst through on goal. The Netherlands international waited for the ball to drop and ended up stretching under pressure to direct a shot that Ter Stegen easily saved.

United continued undeterred and nearly got joy from set-pieces, before Rashford raced through and forced Ter Stegen into a smart save,

Ten Hag’s side deserved to be ahead but they could have been behind at the break had Wan-Bissaka not produced a fantastic recovery tackle to take the sting out of Jordi Alba’s shot.

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Barca were forced to replace Pedri with Sergi Roberto just before half-time, which they returned from strongly as Raphinha fizzed wide.

United responded with a great chance of their own that Sancho snatched at – a missed opportunity they were made to rue when Raphinha’s corner to the far post was all too easily met by Alonso in the 50th minute.

It was a gut punch that United responded to in emphatic fashion two minutes later.

Fred put a ball in for Rashford to chase and, after a touch that looked to have taken the ball too wide, the confident England hitman made a mockery of the acute angle to laser low past Ter Stegen at his near post.

The travelling hordes high in the gods celebrated wildly, just as they would do again in the 59th minute.

Rashford collected a short corner and followed quick feet with a dangerous driven ball that ended with Kounde bundling into his own goal.

The 25-year-old was then furious not to win a penalty having been left in a heap by Kounde, with Ten Hag booked as he fumed about the lack of VAR intervention.

Lewandowski flashed a free-kick over and Fred fired wide as this entertaining encounter continued, with play swinging from end to end.

Barcelona finally found their second goal in the 76th minute. Casemiro gave away possession and Raphinha’s threatening cross went past a host of bodies and into the net.

This frantic first leg continued as Rashford lashed wide before De Gea denied Raphinha and substitute Ansu Fati tried his luck.

Barcelona upped the ante during a chaotic ending that saw the ball hit the woodwork, United’s goalkeeper standing firm and luck being on the visitors’ side.

Penalty appeals against Fred were overlooked as the hosts pushed for a late winner on a thrilling night that sets up a superb second leg.

Football365

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Gabriel Jesus shines as Arsenal thrash Palace 5-1 in London derby

Published

2 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Gabriel Jesus shines as Arsenal thrash Palace 5-1 in London derby

Gabriel Jesus struck twice as Arsenal became the first side since Chelsea in 2005 to go a full calendar year unbeaten in Premier League London derbies, defeating Crystal Palace 5-1 to close the gap on league leaders Liverpool to three points for the time being.

A hat-trick against Palace in a 3-2 EFL Cup victory on Wednesday earned Jesus a starting berth here, and it took just six minutes for him to reward Mikel Arteta’s selection.

A first Premier League goal since January arrived when Bukayo Saka’s cross bounced off Gabriel Magalhães, allowing Jesus to stride towards the ball and side-foot home. A nervy moment for David Raya went unpunished moments later, but just five minutes after going ahead, the Gunners were pegged back as the red-hot Ismaïla Sarr bent an effort around William Saliba and inside the far post.

A breathless start to the contest continued with a third goal in the opening 15 minutes, and perhaps predictably, it came from an Arsenal corner. This time, Gabriel Martinelli’s delivery was partially cleared, but only as far as Jesus, whose controlled finish flew into the corner.

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Another defensive lapse from the visitors almost saw the scores levelled once more, only for Raya to bail out Saliba with a one-on-one stop to deny Jean-Philippe Mateta. At the other end, Gabriel went close from yet another Arsenal corner before the away side extended their advantage through Kai Havertz, who reacted first after Jesus had nodded onto the far post.

Needing a response, the hosts were inches from reducing the deficit straight after the restart when Raya was equal to Sarr’s diving header. The Arsenal shot-stopper was then called into action again, getting behind Mateta’s rifled long-range shot and catching Sarr’s follow-up header.

Those saves kept the Eagles at bay, and with an hour played, the points were all but wrapped up. A well-worked move should have ended with Jesus’ second hat-trick of the week, yet Henderson saved well with his foot only to see Martinelli turn in substitute Declan Rice’s resultant low strike.

Determined to get on the scoresheet, Rice guided in Arsenal’s fifth goal late on, sealing three vital points in an evening where the only major blemish was Saka’s first-half injury.

Despite conceding in a seventh consecutive away league match – their longest travelling run without a PL clean sheet in over five years – Arsenal now find themselves within touching distance of the league summit, albeit having played more games than the sides above them.

Meanwhile, Palace had lost just one of their last eight PL fixtures (W3, D4), but defeat here means they’re yet to add to their solitary home league victory (D4, L4), leaving the Eagles 15th in the table.

Gabriel Jesus shines as Arsenal thrash Palace 5-1 in London derby

Sports

Atletico grab late winner at Barcelona to go top of La Liga

Published

2 hours ago

December 22, 2024

Trends Admin

Atletico grab late winner at Barcelona to go top of La Liga

Substitute Alexander Sorloth scored an injury-time winner as Atletico Madrid fought back against Barcelona to replace them at the top of La Liga.

Pedri opened the scoring for Barcelona in the 30th minute, linking up with fellow Spain midfielder Gavi before slotting a low strike past Jan Oblak.

Despite their dominance, the hosts couldn’t hold on and Rodrigo De Paul hammered home the equaliser on the hour mark after leaping on a mistake from Marc Casado.

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Barcelona were left to rue more missed chances when Sorloth slammed in Nahuel Molina’s cross in the sixth minute of injury time to give Atletico their 12th straight win in all competitions.

The victory means Atletico will end 2024 as the top team in Spain, three points above Barcelona, who have played a game more.

Hansi Flick’s Barca side could slip to third if Real Madrid beat Sevilla on Sunday.

Atletico grab late winner at Barcelona to go top of La Liga

Sports

Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury to retain heavyweight titles

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2 hours ago

December 22, 2024

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Oleksandr Usyk beats Tyson Fury to retain heavyweight titles

Oleksandr Usyk defeated Tyson Fury to retain his unified heavyweight world titles and prove his status as a generational great with another close points win in their rematch in Saudi Arabia.

Having inflicted a first career defeat on Briton Fury by split decision in May, Usyk’s astuteness and will to win once again prevailed at Riyadh’s Kingdom Arena – and he retained his WBA (Super), WBC and WBO titles.

Fury, 36, found success in the first half of the fight. Some of the more eye-catching shots came from the Morecambe fighter, but the volume of punches and cleaner work were from Ukrainian Usyk.

All three judges scored it 116-112 to the 37-year-old champion.

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Usyk, an Olympic gold medallist and former undisputed cruiserweight champion, extended his undefeated record to 23 pro wins.

“He [Tyson Fury] is a great fighter, he is a great opponent. An unbelievable 24 rounds for my career. Thank you so much,” Usyk said.

Two-time world champion Fury has only ever lost to Usyk, his two defeats the major blemishes on a record also consisting of 34 wins and one draw.

Fury left the ring without conducting an interview, before IBF world champion Daniel Dubois climbed in and called for a rematch with Usyk.

A visibly frustrated figure in the moments after the scorecards were read out, Fury said backstage he was convinced he won the fight by “at least three rounds”.