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Leicester City overcomes stubborn Sunderland

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1 year ago

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Leicester City overcomes stubborn Sunderland

LEICESTER City overcame a stubborn Sunderland side to move eight points clear at the top of the Championship table with their eighth consecutive league win.

James Justin leapt highest at the near post to meet a corner with a towering header to put the hosts ahead early on.

Twice goalkeeper Anthony Patterson pushed Leicester efforts on to the post as they searched for a second before half-time, first foiling Stephy Mavididi before getting a touch on a Kelechi Iheanacho shot.

Sunderland were then controversially denied a penalty kick just before the break, with Wout Faes appearing to bring down Daniel Neil with a sliding tackle.

Patterson continued to frustrate the hosts after the break, with crucial saves from Cesare Casadei, but the Black Cats failed to find an equaliser as they suffered a third consecutive defeat to drop to ninth in the table.

Leicester’s fourth successive home win without conceding a goal – the first time they have achieved the feat since 1973 – is enough to edge them further ahead of second-placed Ipswich Town, who travel to Bristol City on Wednesday.

Another night of celebrations for the Foxes started with a minute’s applause and moment of poignant reflection for the five people, including chairman Vichai Srivaddhanaprabha, who died in a helicopter crash outside the stadium five years ago.

Enzo Maresca’s table-topping Foxes are looking to replicate the first major success the club enjoyed under the stewardship of the late Thai businessman – and his son Aiyawatt, who remains in control of City – which was winning promotion back to the Premier League as Championship title winners in 2014.

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As the fastest side to amass 36 points since the second tier was rebranded as the Championship two decades ago, the Foxes are seven points better off after 13 games than that title-winning side were at the same stage.

Sunderland started strongly, playing with an intense press and daring attacking approach against a side that has quickly become accustomed to dominating possession on their return to the Championship.

Luke O’Nien teed Jack Clarke up for the game’s first chance after seven minutes, but goalkeeper Mads Hermansen did well to block the attempt at the back post.

A Kiernan Dewsbury-Hall corner kick soon after found one-time England international Justin unchallenged to thump his header past Patterson, who went on to deny the Foxes a second goal when he directed a low Mavididi shot on to the post with his foot.

Faes’ attempted block on a Clarke shot called Hermansen into action again at the other end, but it was a header from Jobe Bellingham from the resulting corner kick that should have had the visitors level.

The 18-year-old midfielder – and younger brother of England and Real Madrid star Jude, who is reportedly being scouted by the Spanish giants and his sibling’s former employer Borussia Dortmund – could only balloon his wayward header from six yards over the crossbar and on to the roof of the net.

A fingertip save from Patterson after Iheanacho attempted to angle a shot across the goalkeeper again proved crucial, with the effort coming off the post.

And while the woodwork twice saved the Foxes, the lack of action from referee Keith Stroud when Neil was bundled over spared the hosts from facing a penalty kick in the last minute of the first half.

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Patterson kept Casadei out twice in two minutes after the break to ensure the atmosphere remained tense at a packed King Power Stadium.

Iheanacho went on to curl another Foxes’ chance wastefully wide before he was replaced by former England striker Jamie Vardy.

Sunderland created a number of chances in an attempt to rescue a point, but substitute Abdoullah Ba’s wild effort over the crossbar when aiming at an unguarded net late on summed up their miserable night in front of goal.

“It was a very difficult game. It was the game we expected because we knew that they are a very aggressive team.

“In almost all of the games they have played, they have been man-to-man off the ball, and on the ball they have weapons like Bellingham, [Pierre] Ekwah, Clarke, [Patrick] Roberts on the other side and the goalkeeper is unbelievable.

“I’m very happy and it’s the game I’m most happy with in terms of the way we handled a different kind of game.”

“We believed that we could come here and win this game. Unfortunately, we missed some really good chances, as they did.

“Patterson made two good saves that hit the post, I get that. We are playing against top-quality players with probably a Premier League budget and we have a team that is really young.

“I asked them to go challenge themselves really, and if they want to play in the Premier League some day, to go and see how they got on against these lads – who a lot of them have got lots of Premier League appearances.

“And I thought we competed really well, but probably lacked the composure required at the top end of the pitch to give us maybe what we deserved in the game.”

Leicester City overcomes stubborn Sunderland

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Real Madrid outclass Pachuca to win FIFA Intercontinental Cup

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3 days ago

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December 19, 2024

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Real Madrid outclass Pachuca to win FIFA Intercontinental Cup

Kylian Mbappe’s first-half strike at Lusail Stadium – the venue where he scored a hat-trick in the World Cup final exactly two years ago – set Real Madrid on their way before Rodrygo and Vinicius Jr scored after half-time.

Mbappe gave Madrid the lead late in the first half, tapping home from close range after Vinicius had rounded Carlos Moreno in the Pachuca goal.

Rodrygo doubled Madrid’s lead seven minutes into the second half with a sublime curling striker from the edge of the box.

The goal stood following a pitchside monitor review, with referee Jesus Valenzuela deciding that Jude Bellingham had not interfered with play while standing in an offside position.

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Pachuca captain Salomon Rondon had Thibaut Courtois stretching to save a long-range free-kick, before the former West Brom and Everton striker, 35, sent a header narrowly over the crossbar.

A day after being named men’s player of the year at the Fifa Best awards, Vinicius added a third from the penalty spot after Lucas Vazquez was brought down by Oussama Idrissi.

The inaugural edition of the Intercontinental Cup – essentially a replacement for the Fifa Club World Cup, which will instead take place next summer – involved the winners of five continental club competitions taking part in a straight knockout tournament.

Pachuca, winners of the Concacaf Champions Cup, defeated Caf Champions League holders Al-Ahly of Egypt to reach the final. Uefa Champions League winners Madrid did not take part in the previous rounds.

 

Real Madrid outclass Pachuca to win FIFA Intercontinental Cup

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Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. crowned FIFA Player of the Year

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4 days ago

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December 18, 2024

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Vinicius Jr

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. crowned FIFA Player of the Year

Vinicius Jr, the electrifying Real Madrid and Brazil winger, has soared to football’s pinnacle, clinching the coveted FIFA Men’s Player of the Year award at the prestigious ceremony in Doha.

The 24-year-old maestro, who famously skipped the recent Ballon d’Or gala after missing out to Manchester City’s midfield dynamo Rodri, turned the tide with this glittering accolade.

It’s a triumph well-earned—Vinicius dazzled in Real Madrid’s sensational Champions League and La Liga double-winning season, netting 24 goals and crafting 11 assists in the 2023-24 campaign.

Draped in glory, Vinicius reflected on his meteoric rise with heartfelt humility: “It seemed impossible when I played barefoot in the streets of São Gonçalo, and now I’m here.”

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The moment carried added sweetness for Vinicius, marking his first-ever FIFA Best award—a golden consolation following Real Madrid’s bold boycott of the Ballon d’Or.

Meanwhile, Barcelona’s midfield magician Aitana Bonmatí claimed the Women’s Player of the Year title for the second consecutive year, further cementing her dominance on the global stage.

According to BBC, The award, recognising performances from August 2023 to August 2024, was decided through a mix of votes—public input, a journalist from each country, and the captains and coaches of national teams. Each group’s vote carried equal weight, blending opinion and expertise.

Rodri, the architect of Spain’s Euro 2024 success, settled for second place, while Real Madrid’s sensational England star Jude Bellingham completed the podium in third.

 

Real Madrid’s Vinicius Jr. crowned FIFA Player of the Year

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Rashford hints at Man United exit

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4 days ago

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December 18, 2024

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Rashford hints at Man United exit

Manchester United forward Marcus Rashford appears set to leave the club after claiming he is “ready for a new challenge.”

Rashford was controversially dropped from the squad that faced rivals Manchester City on Sunday fueling speculation over his future.

In a wide-ranging interview published on Tuesday, he told Henry Winter that “personally, I think I’m ready for a new challenge and the next steps.”

“When I leave it’s going to be ‘no hard feelings’,” he said. “You’re not going to have any negative comments from me about Manchester United. That’s me as a person.

“If I know that a situation is already bad I’m not going to make it worse. I’ve seen how other players have left in the past and I don’t want to be that person.

“When I leave I’ll make a statement and it will be from me.”

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Rashford made his senior debut in 2015 after rising through the club’s academy and has scored 138 goals in 426 appearances.

He has won two FA Cups and the Europa League for the Red Devils but his form has suffered over the past 18 months, scoring only 15 goals in all competitions since the end of the 2022/23 season.

He was also frozen out of the England squad for Euro 2024 and was reportedly put up for sale on Monday.

“I’m halfway through my career,” he added. “I don’t expect my peak to be now. I’ve had nine years so far in the Premier League and that’s taught me a lot, that’s helped me grow as a player and as a person.

“I don’t have any regrets from the last nine years. I won’t have any regrets going forward because I take things day by day and sometimes bad things happen, sometimes good things happen. I just try and keep a fine balance.”

When asked if the best is yet to come, Rashford replied: “100%. That’s my mentality.”

 

Rashford hints at Man United exit

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