Wasteful Arsenal crash out of FA Cup after 2:0 defeat to Liverpool

Published

12 months ago

January 8, 2024

Wasteful Arsenal crash out of FA Cup after 2:0 defeat to Liverpool

Liverpool compounded Arsenal’s woes with a 2-0 defeat at the Emirates Stadium to send the Gunners out of the FA Cup in the third round.

Mikel Arteta’s men have now failed to win their last four matches in all competitions, which has put their title hopes in jeopardy.

The Gunners missed numerous goalscoring chances against a Liverpool side without the services of Mohammed Salah and Virgil Van Dijk.

The hosts dominated the first half with Martin Odegaard hitting the crossbar before Kai Havertz and Reiss Nelson missed good opportunities to break the deadlock.

Alexander-Arnold and Diogo Jota also hit the cross bar for Liverpool in the first half as both sides failed to cancel out each other to end it goalless.

Liverpool scored two late goals to book their place in the fourth round of the competition.

Alexander-Arnold’s free-kick bounced in off Jakub Kiwior’s head for an own goal to put the Reds in the lead.

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Luis Diaz put the icing on the cake with an emphatic finish to condemn Arsenal to another defeat.

Arsenal manager, admitted that his side are not finishing off their chances.

He said, “Well, the performance was there and the amount of chances too,”

“We just have to win the game, but we lost it, and we are not capitalising. To win games, we need to capitalise.

“When you are better than the best team in Europe and you generate that amount of chances. I have not seen a team do it against them like we have done it.

“It is not enough. The reality is that it is not enough.”

The Spaniard has urged his team to be more efficient ahead of a busy schedule.

“Listen [do I say] play worse than Liverpool, be worse and we will win the game? When my team plays with this confidence what can I do? I am still behind them 100 per cent.

“It is what it is and we have to continue to play the same way and be more efficient,” he added.

Liverpool manager, Jurgen Klopp hailed his side fighting spirit after a tough clash at the Emirates.

He said, “In the end, we came through. I’m really happy we could win this game. Arsenal could have won it without a doubt. We finished it off, and it spoke for the character of the boys,”

“I’m super proud. It was a super difficult draw. Maybe the most difficult we could have got.
“It wasn’t an easy game to enjoy in the first half. We changed a bit at half-time.

“We were really in the game in the second half. We scored the goals and fought for 95 minutes.”

Up next for Arsenal is a Premier League clash against Crystal Palace on January 20, while Liverpool have a date with Fulham in the EFL Cup semi final first leg on Wednesday.

Wasteful Arsenal crash out of FA Cup after 2:0 defeat to Liverpool

Real Madrid outclass Pachuca to win FIFA Intercontinental Cup

Published

3 days ago

December 19, 2024

Trends Admin

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

Sports

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

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Trends Admin

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

Sports

Rashford hints at Man United exit

Published

4 days ago

December 18, 2024

Trends Admin

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.”