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Showing posts with the label Mark Lee

Hibs hold Rangers in six-goal epic

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 Hibernian 3 - 3 Rangers Rangers' inconsistency was on full display once again as they squandered the lead twice against an in-form Hibernian, despite Hamza Igamane's stunning hat-trick in a thrilling six-goal Scottish Premiership showdown. Author - Mark Lee Ibrox boss Philippe Clement remained upbeat, insisting his team were on the right track after their superb Old Firm derby triumph. However, this marked their third consecutive away game without a win, raising further questions about their ability to sustain the high standards they displayed just days earlier. David Gray's Hibs, on the other hand, showed incredible resilience, battling back from two goals down. Rocky Bushiri’s late equaliser in the 83rd minute extended their unbeaten run to six matches, underscoring their impressive form. Under pressure for frequent squad rotations, Clement opted for a rare unchanged line-up in an attempt to steady the ship. The attacking quartet of Igamane, Vaclav Cerny, Nedim Bajra...

St Mirren stun Rangers with late winner

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St Mirren 2 - 1 Rangers  Caolan Boyd-Munce’s last-gasp screamer ensured Rangers finished Boxing Day 12 points behind league leaders Celtic. Author - Mark Lee The visitors endured a dismal first half, with Jack Butland clumsily fouling Greg Kiltie, allowing Oisin Smyth to calmly slot the resulting penalty past the former England goalkeeper. Stephen Robinson’s St Mirren impressed with their aggression, intensity, and defensive organisation, but the half-time introductions of Nicolas Raskin and Danilo injected much-needed energy into Rangers’ performance. Brazilian striker Danilo equalised from close range moments after being denied at a similar distance by goalkeeper Ellery Balcombe. However, Philippe Clement’s side couldn’t capitalise, and their hopes of rescuing a point were dashed when substitute Boyd-Munce rifled in a stunning 93rd-minute strike from 20 yards. No title for Rangers in 2025? This defeat halts Rangers’ recent momentum and leaves their faint title hopes hanging b...

Draw made for 2026 World Cup qualifiers

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Various nations have discovered their opponents for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers following a draw in Zurich. Are you happy with the draw? Author - Mark Lee England, now led by new head coach Thomas Tuchel, will face Serbia, Albania, Latvia, and Andorra in their group. Wales find themselves up against familiar rivals Belgium, alongside North Macedonia, Kazakhstan, and Liechtenstein. Scotland’s group includes Greece, Belarus, and the loser of the Portugal v Denmark Nations League quarter-final, while Northern Ireland will take on Slovakia, Luxembourg, and the winner of the Germany v Italy Nations League clash. Matches will take place over five international breaks from March to November 2025. Group winners will secure automatic qualification for the World Cup, hosted by the US, Canada, and Mexico, with runners-up heading into play-offs. Scotland and Northern Ireland, drawn in smaller four-team groups, will start their campaigns in September. Meanwhile, Scotland also face Greece in ...

It's very close at the top of League One

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It's shaping up to be a dramatic fight for promotion from League One. Let's explore some of the key moments from matches on December 3rd. Author - Mark Lee Wrexham 1 - 0 Barnsley The match started brightly, with Ryan Barnett testing Barnsley goalkeeper Ben Killip early on, his left-footed strike forcing a smart save in the ninth minute. Wrexham faced an early setback when goalkeeper Callum Burton was forced off with an injury midway through the first half, replaced by Mark Howard. Wrexham were close to breaking the deadlock before half-time, as Matty James’ half-volley was well stopped by Killip. The second half unfolded much like the first, with neither side dominating the game. Max Cleworth, already with five goals this season, nearly added another, while Killip was kept busy again, denying Elliot Lee’s well-struck effort from the edge of the box. Paul Mullin and Steven Fletcher were introduced as substitutes with over 20 minutes to play, replacing Lee and Ollie Palmer. H...

What people said as Southampton frustrate Brighton

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Brighton & Hove Albion 1 - 1 Southampton  Brighton and Hove Albion were left frustrated as they missed the chance to secure a home win against bottom-of-the-table Southampton. Author - Mark Lee Kaoru Mitoma made the most of some sloppy defending by the Saints, heading Brighton into the lead midway through the first half. A win would have closed the gap to six points behind league leaders Liverpool. However, Flynn Downes levelled the score for Southampton with a powerful strike just before the hour mark, denying Brighton the victory. The Internet responds to VAR controversy This video was uploaded by YouTuber Ronald Collante.  As the video above suggests, one point could have so easily been three for Southampton. After the match, Southampton boss Russell Martin was furious. He spoke with the media at full-time and said that VAR is a "big problem" if goals like this against Brighton are being disallowed. So, what actually happened? Southampton’s Cameron Archer appe...

Pressure builds on Rangers boss

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Rangers 1 - 1 Dundee United Vaclav ÄŒerny’s equaliser cancelled out Sam Dalby’s opener, but Rangers couldn’t find the winning goal that would have brought them within six points of Aberdeen and six clear of United. Author - Mark Lee Although this was the first time Rangers have dropped points at Ibrox this season, it’s another setback in their campaign. They've now let 13 points slip across their opening 12 league matches and sit 11 points adrift of leaders Celtic. The match began with ÄŒerny and Nico Raskin forcing early saves from Jack Walton, while Nedim Bajrami’s curling effort was tipped wide by the United keeper. Dundee United were well-drilled and disciplined and gradually grew into the game. Vicko Sevelj’s pinpoint deep cross found Dalby unmarked, and the striker headed past the exposed Jack Butland to give the visitors a shock lead. It could have gone from bad to worse for Rangers when Dalby got into a promising shooting position, only for his low effort to be blocked by...

A big weekend of fantasy football awaits

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Are you looking to make some changes in fantasy football this weekend? This article will explore the players you may want to bring in. Author - Mark Lee Jurrien Timber - Arsenal The Dutchman is poised to secure a run of starts in Arsenal’s back four due to an injury to fellow defender Ben White.  Timber's potential for assists is underscored by his impressive statistics. Despite starting only eight of the first 11 matches of the season, he has recorded 10 key passes, placing him fourth among Arsenal players. The 23-year-old also took six shots, which is second only to Gabriel among his side's defenders. After facing a difficult set of opponents, Mikel Arteta's team is now entering a more favorable schedule, making their defenders worth considering for your picks. Ollie Watkins - Aston Villa The Aston Villa forward has been struggling with his performance, scoring just one goal in his last five matches. However, with three favourable home games in the next few weeks, W...

Louie Barry stunner seals victory for Stockport County

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Stockport County 1  - 0  Wrexham Louie Barry’s stunning goal proved the difference as Stockport County edged a crucial League One top-six clash with a 1-0 win over Wrexham. Author - Mark Lee Just a few years ago, these teams were battling it out in Non-League, but on this occasion, Wrexham rarely threatened, and Stockport deservedly claimed the points. The match began evenly, but Barry’s moment of brilliance broke the deadlock. When Ollie Norwood’s effort was blocked, the ball fell to Barry, who turned sharply and unleashed a sublime shot into the top corner. Stockport pressed for a second, with Will Collar coming close after nicking the ball off defender Tom O’Connor, only for his effort to be deflected wide. Moments later, Wrexham goalkeeper Callum Burton kept his side in the contest with a brilliant double save. First, he stretched to tip Collar’s header from Barry’s cross, then recovered quickly to block Fraser Horsfall’s follow-up. Click here for more news and stories...

Championship: Luton earn deserved point against West Brom

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Luton Town 1 - 1 West Bromwich Albion Luton Town fought back to secure a well-earned point, extending West Bromwich Albion's winless streak in the Championship to seven games. Author - Mark Lee Josh Maja opened the scoring for Albion with a clever flick in first-half injury time, marking their only shot on target before the break. Luton equalised on the hour through former Birmingham City player Tahith Chong, who fired in a composed low left-footed strike on the counter-attack. Carlos Corberan's Baggies have now recorded five consecutive draws, while Luton have managed just five points from their last seven games. Luton's brief escape from the relegation zone depends on Cardiff City and Plymouth Argyle failing to win on Saturday. A closer look at what happened Corberan was forced to reshuffle his line-up due to injuries following the 0-0 draw with Cardiff City. Semi Ajayi and Paddy McNair were sidelined, prompting Callum Styles’ second start at left-back and allowing T...

Scotland: Aberdeen keep up impressive form

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Aberdeen 2 - 1 Rangers Jimmy Thelin's unbeaten Aberdeen made their biggest statement yet, ramping up the pressure on Rangers manager Philippe Clement with a thrilling Scottish Premiership victory. Author - Mark Lee The pre-match show at Pittodrie set an electric tone, and the away side struggled to keep up in a sobering first half. Nicky Devlin, having a dream season, fired the intense hosts into an early lead, leaving Rangers overwhelmed. Aberdeen could easily have led by three at the break, as Graeme Shinnie hit the woodwork and Jamie McGrath saw his weak penalty saved by Jack Butland. Yet, it felt as though Aberdeen might rue those missed chances, especially when Rangers had a Ross McCausland goal ruled out for a marginal offside, before clawing their way back to level through Nedim Bajrami’s impressive solo effort. What's going on with Rangers? But Aberdeen, spurred on by a passionate home crowd, retook the lead when substitute Shayden Morris smashed home on the rebound...

Spain: Barcelona stun Real Madrid

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Real Madrid 0 - 4 Barcelona Robert Lewandowski netted twice in just three minutes as La Liga leaders Barcelona swept aside Real Madrid in El Clasico, extending their lead over their fierce rivals to six points. Author - Mark Lee Real Madrid had been aiming to equal Barcelona’s league record of 43 consecutive unbeaten games, a milestone set between April 2017 and May 2018. However, those ambitions were shattered by a ruthless second-half performance from the visitors at the Bernabeu. After a goalless first half, Lewandowski broke the deadlock in the 54th minute, coolly slotting home from a precise through ball by Marc Casado. The Polish striker doubled Barcelona’s advantage moments later, heading Alejandro Balde’s pinpoint cross into the right corner. Lewandowski came close to securing a hat-trick, hitting the woodwork on one occasion and firing over from a promising position on another. Spanish teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, at just 17, added Barcelona’s third with a brilliant st...

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...