Sports

Despite early Gomes red card, Wolves draw at Brentford

Published

12 months ago

January 6, 2024

Despite early Gomes red card, Wolves draw at Brentford

WOLVES earned an FA Cup third-round replay with Premier League rivals Brentford despite having Joao Gomes sent off after just nine minutes.

Midfielder Gomes was given a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Brentford captain Christian Norgaard.

The hosts dominated possession at Brentford Community Stadium and led on 41 minutes when Neal Maupay fired home.

But Wolves grabbed a draw in fine style as Tommy Doyle drove in from 25 yards for his first goal for the club.

“I’m really pleased, it’s an incredible effort from the players,” said Wolves manager Gary O’Neil.

“There was not much between the teams even with 10 versus 11. We coped with their extra man, tactically we dealt with it very well. To put in the second half they did was really impressive.”

Frenchman Maupay claimed his third goal since re-joining Brentford on loan from Everton in the summer to put his side ahead.

A loose ball rebounded out from the crowded six-yard area after a Mathias Jensen free-kick and Maupay placed his shot inside the left-hand post with power and precision.

It gave Brentford hope of their first FA Cup win over Premier League opposition since they beat Sunderland in 2005-06 as a League One side.

But Doyle, who was part of the Sheffield United side which reached the semi-finals last season, had other ideas.

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On 64 minutes, the Manchester City loanee received the ball 25 yards out following a short corner and lashed a stunning shot past home keeper Thomas Strakosha.

While there was controversy on Thursday night when Everton striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin was dismissed in his side’s goalless draw at Crystal Palace, Gomes’ red card for a studs-up tackle was less debatable.

Brentford skipper Norgaard had to be taken off as a result of the tackle, although early reports suggest his ankle injury is not as bad as first feared.

Brazilian Gomes had just two touches of the ball before lunging in on the Dane, and forcing Wolves firmly on the back foot.

What was more controversial was the incident on 27 minutes, when Mikkel Damsgaard caught Doyle above the ankle but was only shown a yellow card from referee Tony Harrington.

Wolves boss O’Neil was unhappy Damsgaard did not go the same way as Gomes and ended up in an animated row with Brentford counterpart Thomas Frank on the touchline – although it did end in a handshake, with Frank saying it was “nothing personal.”

There were also angry scenes in second-half stoppage time when Brentford forward Keane Lewis-Potter grabbed Wolves full-back Nelson Semedo by the throat as the pair clashed.

Both were booked before a tempestuous game came to a bizarre end with Wolves keeper Jose Sa taunting the home fans before the floodlights were briefly switched off, plunging the stadium into darkness.

O’Neil admitted afterwards Gomes deserved to be sent off – but argued the two Brentford men should have gone too.

“I can see it. I know Joao, he would never do this on purpose, but it doesn’t look great,” he said.

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“The tackle on Tommy Doyle [by Damsgaard] is a straight leg with studs, just as bad as Joao.

“Then [Lewis-Potter] grabbing Nelson Semedo by the throat is a red. We were saying on the bench, it will be a red, VAR will give a red, so I was really surprised, but it’s not really my problem, I will deal with my group.”

But Bees boss Frank said of the Damsgaard tackle: “I don’t think it’s a red, just like I don’t think Calvert-Lewin is a red.

“There are several incidents where you pause the footage and it looks like a red. If you give these, it is not a contact sport, which is a problem.”

An inability to see out a win against a side reduced to 10 men for more than 81 minutes will pile more pressure on Brentford, who are on a run of five successive Premier League defeats that has left them in danger of a relegation scrap.

“Lack of quality,” said Frank, when asked why his team had not been able to see the win out.

“If you play 11 against 10 after 80 minutes and don’t win, that’s lack of quality. We were not moving the ball, not creating chances, then we got punished.”

Frank made four changes to the side beaten by Crystal Palace last time out, including giving Maupay an opportunity to lead the line.

The striker, who has a strong record in the FA Cup with Brentford, repaid the faith. In his last campaign with the Bees in 2018-19, Maupay was involved in a goal in all four of his cup appearances, scoring three and assisting one.

Frank will hope Maupay can now bring that scoring touch to the league, as Brentford continue to fret over the future of Ivan Toney once he returns from his ban for breaching betting rules.

Despite early Gomes red card, Wolves draw at Brentford

Sports

Inter Milan crush Cagliari 3-0 to top Serie A

Published

3 hours ago

December 29, 2024

Trends Admin

Inter Milan crush Cagliari 3-0 to top Serie A

Inter Milan made it three Serie A wins on the bounce, defeating Cagliari 3-0 at the Unipol Domus to claim top spot, overtaking Atalanta BC on goal difference.

Cagliari aimed to recover from their narrow loss to Venezia, but Inter’s arrival posed a daunting challenge, with the Scudetto contenders boasting an 11-match unbeaten league streak coming into the contest.

To their credit, the Isolani held firm early on, even as Lautaro Martínez squandered a golden chance from the edge of the six-yard box, misdirecting Nicolò Barella’s pinpoint cross with a header that grazed the top of the bar.

Despite Davide Nicola’s men testing the visitors’ resolve with swift counters at the other end, and Barella’s thunderous strike forcing a spectacular save from Simone Scuffet, neither side managed to break the deadlock before the interval.

As a result, Cagliari narrowly avoided trailing at half-time for a league-high 10th time, while Inter preserved their status as Serie A’s only team yet to be behind at the break this campaign.

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Inter Milan wasted little time after the restart, shattering Cagliari’s resistance when Alessandro Bastoni guided Barella’s cross into the far corner with a looping header beyond Scuffet’s reach.

Nicola introduced a pair of fresh legs around the hour mark, but it proved rather futile as Martínez found the net against his favourite Serie A opponents for the 10th time, effortlessly guiding Barella’s precise delivery from the right flank into the back of the net.

Mateusz Wieteska then handled the ball inside the area, allowing Hakan Çalhanoğlu to bury the ensuing penalty with aplomb into the left corner.

From there, Simone Inzaghi and his men coasted to full-time, wrapping up 2024 on a high note by claiming their 27th win this calendar year. The reigning champions are now unbeaten in 12 consecutive top-flight outings, having last fallen to rivals AC Milan back in September.

In stark contrast, Cagliari linger in the drop zone after suffering their 10th loss this campaign, with five of those now coming in succession – marking their worst losing streak since February.

Inter Milan crush Cagliari 3-0 to top Serie A

Sports

After six years, Nigeria qualify for CHAN, thrash Ghana 3-1

Published

5 hours ago

December 29, 2024

Trends Admin

After six years, Nigeria qualify for CHAN, thrash Ghana 3-1

Nigeria’s Super Eagles B on Saturday night recorded an emphatic win over the Black Galaxies in the CHAN qualifier, beating their opponents 3-1.

The Super Eagles B have thus ended their CHAN misfortunes against Ghana, securing a resounding victory against the Black Galaxies in the match played at the Uyo Stadium, Akwa Ibom State.

This win marks Nigeria’s return to the African Nations Championship (CHAN) after a six-year absence, as they qualified for the tournament set to take place in Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda from February 1-28, 2025.

The match, held on Saturday evening, witnessed a dominant performance by the Super Eagles B, who scored all three goals in a blistering first half display, with Remo Stars players the inspiration.

The opening goal came from Ismail Sodiq, assisted by Nduka Junior of Remo Stars, followed by a second from Nduka before Saviour of Rangers extended the lead at the break.

Despite Ghana pulling one back in the second half, Nigeria’s early lead proved insurmountable and too much for the Galaxies to overturn.

Historically, Ghana had been a formidable opponent for Nigeria in CHAN qualifiers, having thwarted their attempts to reach the finals in 2009 and 2023. Additionally, Ghana’s Black Stars denied Nigeria qualification for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, further intensifying their rivalry.

But this time around, Nigeria sealed the victory and ensured that Ghana would miss both the upcoming AFCON and CHAN tournaments.

The victory not only ends a frustrating streak against Ghana but also provides a platform for showcasing local talent on an international stage.

Sports

Arsenal climb to second in EPL with 1-0 win over Ipswich

Published

1 day ago

December 28, 2024

Trends Admin

Arsenal climb to second in EPL with 1-0 win over Ipswich

LONDON: Arsenal moved up to second place in the Premier League with a 1-0 home win against Ipswich on Friday.

Mikel Arteta’s side is six points behind leader Liverpool, which has a game in hand.

Second-bottom Ipswich had won two of its last three away games but was up against it from the start at the Emirates.

The visitors did not have one touch in the Gunners’ box during the first 45 minutes and, although Ipswich showed signs of life after the break, it was Arsenal which continued to dominate the game, marshaled by Declan Rice in midfield.

Kai Havertz got the only goal midway through the first half when he knocked in a cross from Leandro Trossard.

Havertz, Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Odegaard and Gabriel Jesus all had chances but none of them could add to Arsenal’s tally.

“It’s so tough, every team is tough to break down,” Havertz said. “They fight for each other and at the end we’re very proud for the win.”

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Arsenal is a point above third-place Chelsea and two points clear of season surprise team Nottingham Forest in fourth.

Seagulls and Bees share the points on south coast

Brighton had most of the chances but could not find the net in a 0-0 draw with Brentford that extended the south coast club’s winless run to six league games.

It was a frustrating night for the home side and especially Julio Enciso. The Paraguay striker had a host of opportunities to score but couldn’t make them count.

Along with Southampton, Brentford has the worst away record in the league with seven losses and two draws and it was easy to see why in this toothless performance.

Brentford had an early goal from Yoane Wissa ruled out for offside and, although it came a bit more into the game in the second half, it failed to pressure Icelandic goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson, who made his Premier League debut eight minutes before halftime when Mark Flekken went off with a thigh injury.

One bright spot for the home side was the return of winger Solly March. He came on as a late substitute to make his first appearance for Brighton since injuring a knee against Manchester City 14 months ago.

The result leaves Brighton in 10th place with 26 points, one spot and two points ahead of the Bees.