Sports
UCL: Mbappe inspires PSG to beat Bayern as Chelsea thrash Porto
Kylian Mbappe scored two goals to help Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) to an emphatic 3-2 win over Bayern Munich in their UEFA Champions League (UCL) quarter-final first-leg tie at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.
The 22-year-old French striker scored in the first half and second to punish Bayern’s shaky defence and end the defending European and world club champions’ 19-match unbeaten run in the UCL.
The French champions also became the first team to win a European away match against both Bayern and Barcelona in a single season.
PSG scored with their first attack, thanks to a howler from Manuel Neuer, Bayern Munich goalkeeper. The Bavarians’ captain let a Mbappe shot slip through his hands into the net following a PSG fast break in the third minute.
The hosts recovered from their nightmarish start and fashioned several chances of theirs but Keylor Navas, PSG goalkeeper, denied Thomas Muller, Leon Goretzka, and Benjamin Pavard. They were however dealt another sucker punch by PSG in the 18th minute.
A routine corner kick was half cleared and Neymar — with his second assist of the night — picked out an unmarked Marquinhos to control and slot home for a 2-0 lead.
Eric Choupo-Moting was drafted in to fill in for injured Lewandowski, Bayern’s dependable goalscorer, and the Cameroonian finally made one count after previously hitting the bar. The 32-year-old was picked out by Pavard’s cross and his header found the bottom corner in the 37th minute for a 2-1 score line.
Muller had another opportunity before the interval but Navas held the German international’s header to preserve the visitors’ lead at halftime.
A frantic second half began with both sides exchanging chances — Neymar Jr. was denied by Neuer while Navas also saved from both Jerome Boateng and Pavard.
Another header would eventually beat PSG’s Costa Rican shot-stopper, this time Muller meeting Joshua Kimmich’s in-swinger in the six-yard box to equalise 2-2 on the hour.
An undeterred PSG were continually invited by Bayern’s defence and the deadly duo of Neymar and Mbappe combined again to retake the lead in the 68th minute. The Brazilian superstar released the French forward who was afforded time by Boateng in the penalty area to beat Neuer at the near post.
Hansi Flick’s side continued to pour forward with Choupo-Moting, David Alaba and Kingsley Coman all going close but PSG held on to take a 3-2 lead to the second leg set for Parc des Prices stadium next week Tuesday.
Chelsea-Porto match
Chelsea defeated Porto 2-0 in the other match of the night at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjan stadium in Spain.
The tie, which was moved to Sevilla’s stadium due to COVID-19 restrictions, was livened up by Mason Mount’s first UCL goal to hand the Blues a 1-0 lead.
Porto, despite missing suspended duo Sergio Oliveira and Medhi Taremi, started the better side and Super Eagles of Nigeria’s Zaidu Sanusi should have put the hosts in front but the full-back blazed high and wide with the goal at his mercy.
Chelsea had several opportunities to double the lead in the second period before Ben Chilwell pounced on an error to round the goalkeeper and tap into an empty net to seal the 2-0 win.
The win sees Thomas Tuchel become just the second Chelsea manager to win his first three UCL knockout stage games.
Sports
Newcastle stun Liverpool to secure Carabao Cup victory
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
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
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.
Chelsea beat Man City to win Women’s League Cup
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