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Manchester City win EFL Cup

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Arsenal 0 - 2 Manchester City Manchester City brought an emphatic end to Arsenal’s pursuit of a historic quadruple with a deserved Carabao Cup final victory. Authors | Macca and DJ Stadium | Wembley Nico O’Reilly struck twice in the space of four second-half minutes as Pep Guardiola’s side asserted their authority over the Premier League leaders with a performance of real control and incision. It proved a bruising afternoon for Arsenal and Mikel Arteta, whose decision to persist with Kepa Arrizabalaga in this competition, ahead of first-choice David Raya, unravelled at a crucial moment. Kepa presented City with the opening goal just past the hour, spilling what should have been a routine cross from Rayan Cherki and allowing O’Reilly to capitalise with a stooping header. Watch | View from the stands at Wembley. Video uploaded from Shorts LM O’Reilly added a second soon after, arriving unmarked at the far post to meet Matheus Nunes’ delivery with another firm header, prompting Guardiola ...

Crystal Palace edge past nine-man AEK in Conference League

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AEK Larnaca 1 - 2 Crystal Palace (Crystal Palace won 2-1 on aggregate) Ismaila Sarr struck twice as Crystal Palace edged past nine-man AEK Larnaca in extra time. Author | Ajay Stadium | AEK Arena The Senegal forward opened the scoring in the 13th minute, giving Oliver Glasner’s side an ideal start in Cyprus after a goalless first leg in south London a week earlier. Enric Saborit levelled with a header in the 63rd minute, but his evening unravelled soon after when he was dismissed for a second booking 10 minutes later, forcing the hosts to see out the remainder of normal time with 10 men and take the tie into extra time. It was Sarr who proved decisive in the 99th minute, turning in a low cross from Daichi Kamada at close range to set up a last-eight meeting with Fiorentina. Watch | Palace celebrate at full-time. Video uploaded by Football Passion on YouTube The closing stages were overshadowed by further disorder. Petros Ioannou was sent off for a reckless studs-first challenge on ...

Another famous European night for Nottingham Forest

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Midtjylland 1 - 2 Nottingham Forest (The match finished 2-2 on aggregate and Forest won 3-0 on penalties) Nottingham Forest booked their place in the Europa League quarter-finals after prevailing on penalties against Midtjylland Author | Kieran M Stadium | MCH Arena Cho Gue-Sung and Aral Simsir both struck the same post during the shootout, while Edward Chilufya slipped at the crucial moment and failed to convert. Morgan Gibbs-White, Ibrahim Sangare and Neco Williams all held their nerve from the spot to send Forest through. Vitor Pereira’s side will now meet Porto in the last eight next month, setting aside their domestic struggles to extend their European campaign. A closer analysis of what happened on the night Ryan Yates had earlier given Forest control of the tie with a driven effort from 20 yards, after Nicolas Dominguez had drawn them level on aggregate before the interval. Midtjylland responded through Martin Erlic, whose close-range finish forced extra time. Watch | The re...

Barca thrash Newcastle to end Geordie Champions League dream

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Barcelona 7 - 2 Newcastle United (Barcelona won 8-3 on aggregate) A rampant Barcelona swept Newcastle United aside to reach the Champions League quarter-finals. Author | Anthony Gates  Stadium | Nou Camp Eddie Howe had urged his players to embrace, rather than be overwhelmed by, the atmosphere at the Nou Camp in this last-16 second leg. For a time, they did just that. Newcastle showed resilience in a breathless first half, twice drawing level through the pace and composure of Anthony Elanga. His finishes cancelled out early efforts from Raphinha and Marc Bernal, ensuring the visitors remained firmly in the contest. Even after Lamine Yamal converted a penalty in stoppage time to edge Barcelona 3-2 ahead, the tie still felt alive at the interval. It unravelled quickly after the restart FermĂ­n LĂłpez extended the lead before Raphinha and Lewandowski took control, the latter striking twice to underline the gulf in clinical edge. What had been a contest became a procession, ending Newcas...

Positive signs for Tottenham despite Champions League exit

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Tottenham Hotspur 3 - 2 Atletico Madrid (Atletico Madrid won 7-5 on aggregate) Spurs claimed a deserved victory against Atletico Madrid but fell short in their attempt to overturn a three-goal deficit. Author | Greg S  Stadium | Tottenham Hotspur Stadium The home side were left with too much to do after a calamitous 5-2 first-leg defeat in Madrid, one of four losses in five matches since Tudor replaced Thomas Frank. There were, however, further signs of progress. Following the 1-1 draw at Liverpool, this was another encouraging display in an absorbing second leg, offering hope as attention turns to the more pressing task of avoiding relegation from the Premier League. Needing an early foothold, Spurs began brightly and took the lead on the half-hour when Randal Kolo Muani headed in an inviting cross from Mathys Tel for his fourth goal of the campaign. Tel soon had the chance to unsettle the visitors further after racing through on goal, but Juan Musso, deputising for the injured Ja...

Arsenal’s quadruple hopes remain alive

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Arsenal 2 - 0 Bayer Leverkusen (Arsenal won 3-1 on aggregate) It was a relatively straightforward night for Arsenal as their quadruple dreams stay alive. Author | DJ Stadium | Emirates Stadium Goals from Eberechi Eze and Declan Rice guided Arsenal to a comfortable win over Bayer Leverkusen, as the Gunners booked their place in the Champions League quarter-finals. They will face Sporting in the last eight after the Portuguese side produced a remarkable turnaround, overturning a three-goal deficit to score five against Bodo/Glimt. Arsenal began the tie level on aggregate with the German side, following Kai Havertz’s late penalty in last week’s 1-1 draw, and ensured Leverkusen never settled during a dominant first half. Gabriel twice threatened from Arsenal’s trademark corners, but Leverkusen goalkeeper Janis Blaswich produced a pair of fine saves to keep the score level. He was left with no chance for the opening goal, however, as Eze controlled the ball on the edge of the area, turned s...

It was just too easy for PSG against Chelsea

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Chelsea 0 - 3 PSG (PSG won 8-2 on aggregate) This was Chelsea’s joint-heaviest defeat in a two‑legged European tie Author | Lewis W Stadium | Stamford Bridge Khvicha Kvaratskhelia opened the scoring after just six minutes, with Bradley Barcola doubling PSG's lead with their second shot of the game in the 14th minute. That goal meant Chelsea needed to score 4 without reply to take the tie into extra time, effectively ended it as a contest, and substitute Senny Mayulu piled further misery on Chelsea in this last‑16 meeting. Chelsea responded with a burst of attacking intent, with Cole Palmer, Enzo Fernandez, Pedro Neto and Trevoh Chalobah all involved as they pressed for a way back. Yet it was Paris Saint-Germain who struck again. After Moises Caicedo was dispossessed in midfield, PSG broke with purpose. Bradley Barcola took a fine first touch on his weaker left foot before sending a half-volley into the top corner to double the advantage. Chelsea continued to threaten, carving ...