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Showing posts from October 20, 2024

UEL: Mourinho sent off as United held

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Fenerbahce 1-1 Manchester United  Fenerbahce manager José Mourinho was shown a red card as Manchester United battled to secure a 1-1 draw in their Europa League clash in Istanbul.  Author - Liam C The former United manager was dismissed midway through the second half when tensions escalated after the home side were denied a penalty following Manuel Ugarte's challenge on Bright Osayi-Samuel, with the scoreline locked at 1-1. A closer look at what happened United had gone into the break with a lead, thanks to Christian Eriksen’s fourth goal of the season. However, four minutes into the second half, the hosts drew level when Youssef En-Nesyri slipped between United's defenders to nod in Allan Saint-Maximin’s close-range cross. As the atmosphere intensified and the noise levels soared, Mourinho was sent off by French referee Clément Turpin just before the hour mark. The dismissal came after Mourinho led fervent appeals for a penalty when Bright Osayi-Samuel went down following

UCL: Barca ease to comfortable win over Bayern

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Barcelona 4 - 1 Bayern Munich It was a disappointing night for Bayern Munich as Barcelona eased to a comfortable victory in the Champions League league stage. Author - Josh T Barcelona winger Raphinha was a hero on the night as he delivered an outstanding hat-trick. The Brazilian opened the scoring in under a minute, pouncing on a ball over the top and skilfully rounding goalkeeper Manuel Neuer. England captain Harry Kane levelled the score for Bayern in the 18th minute, volleying in Serge Gnabry’s cross at the back post. However, Barcelona continued to exploit Bayern’s high defensive line. Fermin Lopez broke through, poking the ball past Neuer to set up Robert Lewandowski for Barcelona’s second, 18 minutes later. Just before half-time, Raphinha, wearing the captain’s armband for the night, made it 3-1 with a sublime curling shot from the edge of the box. Soon after the break, he sealed his hat-trick by latching onto another long pass and drilling a shot into the far corner. A c

UCL: Celtic recover from Dortmund thrashing

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Atalanta 0 - 0 Celtic Celtic secured a valuable Champions League point with a resilient defensive performance, holding last season’s Europa League winners Atalanta to a goalless draw in Bergamo. Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football This result marked a notable shift in fortunes for Celtic, who had previously lost all seven of their matches in Italy in this competition. Despite facing relentless pressure from the hosts, the Scottish champions stood firm, taking a crucial step towards progressing to the knockout stages. Kasper Schmeichel played a pivotal role with several impressive saves, while Atalanta squandered several clear chances. Celtic’s defensive discipline proved key in denying the Serie A side, who grew increasingly frustrated as the match developed.  After two challenging away fixtures, Celtic now have the advantage of back-to-back home games against RB Leipzig and Club Brugge, with four points already secured.  Celtic’s Champions League campaign has been anything

Championship: Cardiff continue revival

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Cardiff City 2 - 0 Portsmouth Cardiff City continued their revival under interim boss Omer Riza, cruising past Portsmouth with another impressive attacking display to secure their second home victory in just four days. Author - Sean M Fresh off their 5-0 thrashing of Plymouth Argyle on Saturday, the Bluebirds hit the ground running once more. They found themselves 2-0 up within 13 minutes, thanks to an own goal from Regan Poole and Callum Robinson’s close-range strike. A closer look at what happened Despite squandering several opportunities to extend their lead either side of half-time, Cardiff kept Portsmouth’s substitute goalkeeper Jordan Archer busy, with David Turnbull and Anwar El Ghazi testing him throughout the match. Although Portsmouth showed signs of life in the second half, they struggled to break down Cardiff’s defence, with their rare attempts on goal thwarted by captain Jak Alnwick in the Bluebirds' goal. The win sees Cardiff move out of the Championship relegatio

UCL: Arsenal narrowly beat Shakhtar Donetsk

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Arsenal 1 - 0 Shakhtar Donetsk Arsenal secured a vital Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk, aided by an own goal from goalkeeper Dmytro Riznyk, as they bounced back from their weekend defeat to Bournemouth. Author - Craig H from GMCR Football  Gabriel Martinelli’s strike in the 29th minute rebounded off the post, hitting Riznyk’s back before creeping over the line, reflecting Arsenal’s strong start. The Gunners looked lively from the off, with Riccardo Calafiori missing a good early chance to break the deadlock. Gabriel Jesus then saw a solid opportunity saved by Riznyk after the opener. Shakhtar were well-drilled and posed a counter-attacking threat, with winger Eguinaldo keeping Arsenal’s defence busy throughout. Mikel Arteta’s side are already grappling with injury issues, missing key figures like captain Martin Ødegaard and Bukayo Saka. The manager could face fresh concerns, as Ben White didn’t return for the second half, possibly due to being on a yellow card, and Calaf

UCL: Milan see off brave Club Brugge

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AC Milan 3 - 1 Club Brugge Tijjani Reijnders netted two impressive second-half goals as AC Milan overcame a shaky start to defeat a 10-man Club Brugge. Author - Katrine Jonnson  The Belgian side began brightly, with Christos Tzolis nearly putting them ahead, only for a superb save by Mike Maignan to deny him. Milan, needing a victory after defeats against Liverpool and Bayer Leverkusen, took the lead when former Chelsea forward Christian Pulisic's   inswinging corner flew directly into the net. Referee Felix Zwayer showed a red card to Raphael Onyedika for a high tackle on Reijnders following a VAR review, leaving Brugge with what eventually proved to be a significant disadvantage. Despite the setback, Brugge managed to level the score with a well-crafted goal. Substitute Kyriani Sabbe finished off a slick team move, slotting the ball into the far corner. At 19, Sabbe became only the fourth teenager to score against Milan in the Champions League. Champions League: 2024/2025 Th

Italy: Napoli remain top of Serie A

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Empoli 0 - 1 Napoli Napoli held on to their spot at the top of Serie A with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Empoli at the Stadio Carlo Castellani.  Author - Peter Grainger from GMCR Football The match was settled by a late penalty from Khvicha Kvaratskhelia, as the visitors found it tough to break down a resilient Empoli side. Empoli, unbeaten going into this fixture, started brightly and created several early chances. Sebastiano Esposito tested former Empoli goalkeeper Elia Caprile with a fierce volley, while Giuseppe Pezzella also forced a save from the Napoli shot-stopper. Napoli, without key players Stanislav Lobotka and Alex Meret, handed Billy Gilmour his first Serie A start alongside Scott McTominay. The visitors had chances of their own, with Alessandro Buongiorno’s header cleared off the line and Esposito’s low shot smartly saved by Caprile. The decisive moment came late on, when substitute Giovanni Simeone made an impact, winning a penalty after Tino Anjorin fouled Matteo Pol

Scotland: Kilmarnock stun Rangers with late winner

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Kilmarnock 1 - 0 Rangers Rangers remain six points behind the Premiership leaders after suffering a late defeat against Kilmarnock at Rugby Park. Author - Mark Lee In a lacklustre match, Rangers wasted several opportunities to secure three points. A combination of poor finishing and solid defending from Kilmarnock made it another frustrating afternoon for the Belgian manager. As the game was heading for a draw, David Watson's lob found Marley Watkins, who beat the offside trap and bundled the ball past Jack Butland. The Gers need to regroup quickly ahead of their Europa League match against FCSB on Thursday. Meanwhile, Derek McInnes' team has now moved to seventh place and are just outside the top six on goal difference. A closer look at how Kilmarnock stunned this Rangers side Home form has traditionally been a strength for Kilmarnock , but they had recorded five draws and one defeat in all competitions on their own pitch leading up to this game. ⚽️ Goal of the day: Mar

Premier League: Liverpool see off Chelsea

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Liverpool 2 - 1 Chelsea Arne Slot's outstanding start as Liverpool manager continued as his side saw off a clearly improved Chelsea at Anfield. Author - Katrine Jonnson  Chelsea are now winless in their last ten matches against Liverpool, including losses in the Carabao Cup final and FA Cup final in 2022, both decided by penalties, along with a defeat at Wembley in extra time last season. Slot is the first Liverpool boss to win 10 of his first 11 games, with this latest victory putting them a point clear of  Manchester City after their dramatic stoppage-time win at Wolves. A closer look at what happened Mohamed Salah gave Liverpool the lead after 29 minutes, converting a penalty following Levi Colwill’s foul on Curtis Jones.  Just before half-time, Liverpool were awarded a second penalty when Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez brought down Jones, but after initially being given by referee John Brooks, the decision was overturned by VAR. #LIVCHE – 45+2’ VAR OVERTURN The refere

Premier League: Stones scores controversial winner

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Wolves 1 - 2 Manchester City The Premier League champions secured their sixth win in eight games this season with a 2-1 victory over Wolverhampton Wanderers on Sunday. Author - Sean M The match ended in controversy when John Stones scored a dramatic header in the 95th minute from Phil Foden’s corner. Initially, the goal was disallowed for offside, but after a VAR review, referee Chris Kavanagh reversed the decision, allowing the goal to stand, much to Wolves' frustration. Earlier in the match, Josko Gvardiol equalised for the hosts after Jorgen Strand Larsen had given Wolves the lead. Unfortunately for Wolves, they remain winless this season and currently sit at the bottom of the Premier League table. What happened then? In the final seconds of stoppage time, Foden delivered a corner kick that Stones headed powerfully into the net.  However, as the Manchester City players celebrated, the linesman raised his flag to signal an offside, noting that Bernardo Silva was standing in fro

Premier League: Bournemouth end Arsenal’s unbeaten start

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Bournemouth 2 - 0 Arsenal Bournemouth ended Arsenal’s unbeaten start to the season, with William Saliba receiving the first red card of his career during the match at Vitality Stadium. Author - William G from GMCR Football The French defender was sent off within the first half-hour after tripping Evanilson near the halfway line, following a poor pass from Leandro Trossard that left him exposed. It was the kind of scenario Arsenal had already managed to escape against both Manchester City and Brighton, but this time the challenge would last for over 60 minutes. Arsenal’s resilience eventually crumbled when Ryan Christie scored a brilliant goal, firing into the top corner after a clever corner routine, with substitute Justin Kluivert flicking on Lewis Cook’s low ball into the box. Kluivert later sealed Bournemouth’s win by confidently converting a penalty nine minutes after Christie’s strike. The spot-kick was awarded when David Raya brought down Evanilson, Bournemouth’s £40 million

Premier League: Leicester comeback stuns Southampton

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Southampton 2 - 3 Leicester City  Russell Martin's Southampton side squandered a two-goal lead in their 3-2 defeat to Leicester City on Saturday afternoon at St Mary's. Author - JP Cameron Archer opened the scoring in the eighth minute, finishing from close range after a swift free kick led to Ryan Manning crossing the ball to him. Southampton then doubled their lead in the 28th minute, with Kyle Walker-Peters driving into the box from the left before setting up Joe Aribo for a simple tap-in. Leicester began their comeback in the 65th minute, when Abdul Fatawu's low cross deflected off Facundo Buonanotte and into the net. Less than 10 minutes later, Jamie Vardy levelled the score with a penalty. In the eighth minute of stoppage time, Jordan Ayew found the winner for Leicester, receiving a pass from Harry Winks at the edge of the box and finishing clinically from a corner. The result leaves Leicester in 13th place with nine points after eight games, while  Southampton

Premier League: Man United fight back against Brentford

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Manchester United 2 - 1 Brentford The Red Devils came from behind to claim a vital win over Brentford at Old Trafford, easing the pressure on manager Erik ten Hag. Author - Olivia T United found themselves trailing at half-time after Ethan Pinnock headed Brentford into the lead in controversial fashion, with the goal coming while Matthijs de Ligt was off the pitch receiving treatment for a head injury. However, early in the second half, a stunning goal from Alejandro Garnacho ended United’s 316-minute Premier League goal drought with a stunning first-time strike from Marcus Rashford’s cross, bringing the home side level. The decisive moment came in the 62nd minute when Rasmus Højlund latched onto a brilliant flicked pass from Bruno Fernandes, expertly chipping the ball over the onrushing Brentford goalkeeper, Mark Flekken, to secure the win for United. While the match didn’t have the late drama of last season's injury-time double from Scott McTominay that dashed Brentford’s hop

Championship: Cardiff thrash Plymouth

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Cardiff City 5 - 0 Plymouth Argyle Cardiff City climbed off the bottom of the Championship table in stunning fashion with a dominant win over 10-man Plymouth Argyle, securing only their second league victory of the season. Author - Sean M In what was undoubtedly their finest display of the campaign so far, the Bluebirds surged to an early 2-0 lead. Alex Robertson opened the scoring with a sublime 20-yard curling strike, followed by a similarly classy finish from Rubin Colwill. Plymouth's troubles worsened just before half-time when Ibrahim Cissoko was sent off for pushing Perry Ng to the ground. Colwill, who had assisted Robertson’s opener, continued to shine in the second half. His low cross was tapped in by Anwar El Ghazi, before Callum Robinson added a fourth with an impressive solo run and finish. Chris Willock made it five with a bouncing shot from the edge of the box, as Cardiff more than doubled their season’s goal tally in one game, having scored just four in their prev

Championship: A good away day for Burnley

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Sheffield Wednesday 0 - 2 Burnley Burnley fans had a great away day as their side comfortably beat Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough. Author - Craig H from GMCR Football  Goals from Jaidon Anthony and the captain Josh Brownhill sealed three points for Scott Parker's side. The Clarets are are now unbeaten in their last seven league matches. Sheffield Wednesday drop to 18th, three points above the drop zone. Their fans will be starting to get concerned about another tough relegation battle. A closer look at what happened at Hillsborough Just three minutes in, Zian Flemming went close for the visitors but his shot was well kept out by Wednesday goalkeeper James Beadle. The hosts did grow into the game and almost got in behind the Burnley backline. It took some superb last-ditch defending from Chelsea loanee Bashir Humphreys to deny Wednesday’s Djeidi Gassama a presentable goalscoring opportunity. On the 30-minute mark, Wednesday's Barry Bannan delivered an almost perfect fre

Championship: Luton ease to win over rivals

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Luton Town 3 - 0 Watford  Under-pressure Luton Town manager Rob Edwards guided his team to a spirited and well-deserved win against their fierce rivals, Watford, in a typically heated derby at Kenilworth Road. Author - Wiliam G from GMCR Football Luton, who were sitting 21st in the table and had only managed two wins in their last nine league matches, took the lead in the first half through Jordan Clark. The midfielder reacted quickly to redirect Tom Holmes' shot past goalkeeper Daniel Bachmann. Watford, who had the chance to go level on points at the top of the table with a victory, struggled to cope with Luton’s physical approach and failed to muster a single shot on target before half-time. Within two minutes of the second half, Carlton Morris, in top form, was left unmarked to head home Alfie Doughty’s corner from close range, putting Luton 2-0 up. Watford rarely looked like they could avoid a fourth consecutive away league defeat. Edwards had the final word against the clu

Championship: Leeds impressive on Friday night in Yorkshire

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Leeds United 2 - 0 Sheffield United  Leeds United picked up a deserved 2-0 win over Yorkshire rivals Sheffield United at Elland Road. Author - William G from GMCR Football Largie Ramazani and Brenden Aaronson had good chances for the homeside in a goalless first half that the hosts had dominated. Daniel Farke's men continued to have the upper hand after the break and were rewarded when Pascal Struijk blasted in from a 69th-minute corner as the Blades conceded for the first time in more than 11 hours. Substitute Mateo Joseph sealed the derby win with a 90th-minute second goal as he finished well from Joel Piroe's pass. The victory meant Leeds leapfrogged the Blades on goal difference with both sides having 19 points as Chris Wilder's men lost for the first time in the league this season. You can watch the highlights of this Yorkshire derby in the video below. The footage is from the Sheffield United YouTube account. My reaction What a thrilling return to Championship foo