Sports

Relegation threatened Burnley hold Man United to a 1 – 1 draw

Published

11 months ago

April 27, 2024

Relegation threatened Burnley hold Man United to a 1 – 1 draw

Burnley’s survival hopes received a huge boost after it held Manchester United to a stalemate at Old Trafford, with Zeki Amdouni’s late penalty earning the Clarets a point that inches Vincent Kompany’s men a little closer to pulling off a great escape.

Adrift of safety and knowing Nottingham Forest and Luton play fellow basement dwellers next weekend, Burnley realistically needed to leave Old Trafford with something to show for their efforts to boost their survival hopes.

Those hopes almost took an instant hit though, when Alejandro Garnacho was afforded too much space at the far post, but he was leaning back and his strike drifted harmlessly over the bar.

United were firmly on top in the opening stages, and they came even closer shortly after when Antony broke in behind, only to see his effort drift narrowly wide of the post.

A United opener only seemed a matter of time away when they came even closer midway through the first half, with Bruno Fernandes watching on with anguish as his effort crashed back off the post.

That seemed to be the wake-up call Burnley needed, as it was then their turn to land a couple of blows, with Wilson Odobert’s effort forcing an acrobatic stop out of Andre Onana, before Lyle Foster’s header saw the Cameroonian produce an even smarter stop.

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It was all Burnley towards the end of the opening 45, but they simply couldn’t make their pressure count, with Onana again keeping United in the game by denying Foster one-on-one.

You sensed there was always a likelihood the Clarets would be made to pay for their missed chances, and they were almost made to do so within minutes of the restart. Fortunately for Kompany’s men, Arijanet Muric produced a fine stop to deny Antony after he was smartly set up by Garnacho.

It was a rather strange feeling for both sides as the game approached its latter stages – largely because both desperately needed the win for very different causes.

United looked the likelier of the two to find what would’ve been a huge winner, yet the irrepressible Muric was doing his level best to ensure that wouldn’t be the case, producing another impressive stop to deny Garnacho.

There was always a sense of inevitability that Muric would eventually get beaten, and so it proved a little over 10 minutes from time.

It was in gift-like fashion too, as Antony read Sander Berge’s blind pass, strode clear on goal and slotted into the bottom corner.

Unwilling to lie down though, a moment of madness from Onana, who clattered Amdouni, afforded the Swiss international the chance to score from the spot – one he duly accepted to earn Burnley a deserved point in the desperate battle to beat the drop and dent United’s top six hopes in the process.

Relegation threatened Burnley hold Man United to a 1 – 1 draw

Sports

Newcastle stun Liverpool to secure Carabao Cup victory

Published

2 days ago

March 17, 2025

Trends Admin

Newcastle stun Liverpool to secure Carabao Cup victory

Newcastle United clinched their first domestic trophy in 70 years with a stunning 2-1 victory over Liverpool in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley on Sunday. Goals from Dan Burn and Alexander Isak sealed a historic win, igniting celebrations among the club’s passionate supporters.

Defender Burn put Newcastle ahead just before halftime, powering in a header from a corner to send the black-and-white-clad fans into raptures

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Buoyed by their lead, Newcastle doubled their advantage in the 52nd minute when Swedish forward Isak coolly slotted the ball past Liverpool goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher.

Premier League leaders Liverpool pulled one back deep into stoppage time through Federico Chiesa, but it was too little, too late as Eddie Howe’s side held firm to lift their first major domestic trophy since 1955.

Newcastle stun Liverpool to secure Carabao Cup victory

Sports

EPL: Merino header gives Arsenal slim win over Chelsea

Published

3 days ago

March 16, 2025

Trends Admin

EPL: Merino header gives Arsenal slim win over Chelsea

Chelsea’s challenge for a place in next season’s Champions League faltered in a toothless 1-0 defeat at Arsenal on Sunday as Fulham beat Tottenham 2-0.

Mikel Merino scored the only goal of a disappointing contest at the Emirates as Arsenal pulled clear in second place and to within 12 points of runaway leaders Liverpool.

Chelsea badly missed the presence of the absent Cole Palmer due to illness as they meekly surrendered to a damaging defeat for their hopes of a top-four finish.

The Blues remain in fourth for now but have five sides from Manchester City in fifth to Aston Villa in ninth within four points of Enzo Maresca’s team.

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Arsenal have struggled badly for goals since the loss of Kai Havertz to a season-ending injury has forced midfielder Merino into a makeshift centre-forward role.

The Spanish international proved the match winner from a corner as he looped a header from Martin Odegaard’s delivery inside the far post on 20 minutes.

Chelsea barely threatened but were nearly gifted a route back into the game when David Raya fumbled Marc Cucurella’s shot and the ball trickled wide.

At the other end, Chelsea’s Robert Sanchez made a brilliant stop to prevent Merino doubling Arsenal’s lead with the best effort of the second half.

But the game petered out with little goalmouth action as a limp performance will do little to quieten the critics of Maresca’s style of play among the Chelsea support.

EPL: Merino header gives Arsenal slim win over Chelsea

Sports

Chelsea beat Man City to win Women’s League Cup

Published

3 days ago

March 16, 2025

Trends Admin

Chelsea beat Man City to win Women’s League Cup

Chelsea edged past Manchester City in the Women’s League Cup final to win their first trophy under Sonia Bompastor and keep their bid for a historic quadruple alive.

Bompastor has exceeded expectations since succeeding Emma Hayes as head coach last May, winning 26 of her 28 games.

Mayra Ramirez netted an early opener for Chelsea, bundling in a rebound that bounced off City skipper Laia Aleixandri at Derby County’s Pride Park.

Aoba Fujino levelled after the break with a stunning strike, but an own goal by Yui Hasegawa restored Chelsea’s lead and ended their three-year losing streak in League Cup finals.

“It feels great, for sure. I’m really happy,” Bompastor said.

“From the beginning of the season we said we are going to be ambitious and when you have the opportunity to win a first title that is always really positive so I am really happy for that reason and I am really proud of my players.”

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City, who were playing their first game under interim boss Nick Cushing following Gareth Taylor’s sacking five days ago, dominated play after Chelsea’s opener.

But they were unable to find a way through during the first half as Chelsea’s solid centre-back paring of Millie Bright and Nathalie Bjorn stood firm, limiting City’s chances to ambitious efforts from the edge of the box.

Chelsea appeared to regain control after the interval, but Fujino’s powerful strike flew past Hannah Hampton and into the roof of the net before Hasegawa’s own goal handed momentum back to Bompastor’s side.

They remain in the hunt for the Champions League and FA Cup, while they have all but secured a sixth successive Women’s Super League (WSL) title, sitting eight points clear at the top of the table with six games remaining.

This final marked the start of an intense 12-day battle, with Chelsea and City playing each other four times in a row.