Nikolaos Karelis scored a second-half equaliser as Mumbai City came back from a goal deficit to hold Punjab FC to a 1-1 draw in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 match at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium here on Thursday night. The Islanders kept 60.8% of the possession, but Punjab FC took five shots on target as compared to the two of the visitors. Mumbai City FC have gotten to 24 points, occupying the sixth spot, whereas the home team is eighth with 20 points, drawing twice and losing thrice in their last five encounters. Mumbai City FC got the first real opportunity of the game in the 14th minute to get the lead, as attacking midfielder Brandon Fernandes served an impeccable corner kick from the right side. Instead of aiming to go deep inside the box, his delivery was targeted for Nikolaos Karelis in the near post, and the striker did well to get into an unmarked spot and adjust his position, but ended up hitting the bar with his effort. Also Read: BCCI issues new policy guidelines for Team India to limit Travel, baggage, family visits Punjab FC had Luka Majcen break the deadlock in the added time of the first half. The home team arguably surprised the Mumbai City FC defence by trying to hit them on a fast break. Luka Majcen rushed ahead down the centre, passing the ball to Asmir Suljic, who took two touches, burst forward, and attempted a slick through ball back for Majcen. The striker picked up the ball and drilled it into the bottom right corner. Mumbai City FC pulled the equaliser back in the 58th minute, producing a coordinated team effort initiated by Vikram Partap Singh bringing down a long ball on the right flank. Vikram worked his way in, before laying the ball behind for Yoell van Nieff. The midfielder took a couple of steps ahead, before passing to Karelis, who was at the edge of the box. The striker made a sharp turn and hammered home on the bottom right corner to draw the scores level. Eight minutes later, Jayesh Rane swung into the centre of attention, spotting Vikram outside the box with space in front. The attacker unleashed a shot that missed the right post by a whisker. Punjab FC began regaining rhythm soon afterwards, as Ezequiel Vidal and Nihal Sudheesh combined in the attacking third to cause trouble to the Mumbai City FC backline. Vidal trusted Nihal in the 74th minute at the centre of the box with a precise pass that the latter did well to target at the top right corner. The shot was saved by TP Rehenesh in time though. Brandon was exemplary from another corner kick, merely five minutes later, as his cross met Mehtab Singh in the middle of the 18-yard area. Mehtab’s headed effort had tremendous power but lacked direction, landing beyond the left side of the goal. In the 87th minute, Mumbai City FC were absorbing pressure from a cohesive Punjab FC attack. They immediately broke on a counter-attack, but the entire move couldn’t culminate in a neat finish in the end, as van Nieff took a left-footed long ranger shot from over 35 yards out, missing hitting the target by a fair margin, as both teams walked away with a point each from the game. Mumbai City FC will next play Mohammedan SC on January 26, whereas Punjab FC are set to square off against Jamshedpur FC on January 28. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
17 January,2025 09:16 AM IST | New Delhi | IANSArsenal goalkeeper David Raya believes his title-chasing side can catch Liverpool after closing the gap on the Premier League leaders. Mikel Arteta’s second-placed side moved within four points of Liverpool thanks to their stirring fightback in Wednesday’s 2-1 win against arch-rivals Tottenham. Trailing to Son Heung-min’s early opener, the Gunners drew level through Dominic Solanke’s own goal before Leandro Trossard fired the winner on the stroke of half-time. Also Read: Cops to probe online abuse of Havertz’s wife Arsenal defender Gabriel celebrates the equaliser against Tottenham Hotspur yesterday. Pic/Getty Images It was a much-needed victory for Arsenal, who had gone three games without one in all competitions, a frustrating streak that included an FA Cup third round exit against 10-man Manchester United and a League Cup semi-final first leg loss to Newcastle. Liverpool are still title favourites as they hold a game in hand over Arsenal, but Raya is optimistic the north Londoners are capable of reeling in the leaders. “Yes, of course. In football, everything can happen,” he said. “Three weeks ago, people were saying that Liverpool had the title in their hands. But it is just football and everything changes in two, three matches. “We have to focus on ourselves, try and win every game. We don’t want to think too far ahead because that will play badly against us. We have to live in the present.” Manager Mikel Arteta also shared Raya’s optimism. He believes his team have what it takes to track down the Anfield club. “Yeah we are [in the title race]. There is so much to play for,” he said. The Spaniard, whose side face another stern test against Aston Villa on Saturday, was relieved to see his players show the hunger they will need to overhaul Liverpool. “We were sensational. It was a big test after two games and not getting rewarded,” he said. “To play the biggest game of the season for us, it was a test of attitude, what we are made of, the courage we have. From minute one, we fully deserved to win,” he added. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
17 January,2025 08:11 AM IST | London | AFPPolice have launched an investigation into social media abuse aimed at Arsenal forward Kai Havertz’s wife after his latest poor performance. Havertz missed a penalty in Arsenal’s shootout defeat against Manchester United in the FA Cup third round on Sunday. Following Arsenal’s second successive loss, the Germany international’s wife, Sophia, reposted two abusive messages she had received on Instagram. Also Read: Queen Mary girls rule inter-school kabaddi A police spokesman told Britain’s Press Association: “Officers have received a report of malicious communications towards a Hertfordshire resident on Sunday 12 January. Enquiries are under way.” Speaking on Tuesday, Gunners manager Mikel Arteta flagged the “terrible consequences” of online abuse. “It’s something that we really have to eradicate,” he said. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
17 January,2025 08:09 AM IST | London | AFPMumbai City FC is committed to nurturing and developing football talent across the city, ensuring the next generation of football stars receives the right platform to grow and showcase their skills. Building on its mission to invest in grassroots football, Mumbai City FC is proud to announce the commencement of Season 2 of the AIFF Blue Cubs League 2024-2025 powered by Reliance Foundation, which will take place from January 15, 2025, to March 9, 2025. The league will feature teams from various academies competing in three age groups: U9, U10, and U11. These young players will compete for the championship title, showcasing their skills and potential for a future in the sport. The U10 and U11 age groups will include teams from E7 Football Academy, Tipu Sultan FA, Bravo Football, Bravehearts FA, Mumbai City FC, Somaiya Sports Academy, BFC Soccer Schools, and Anstrengung United (7 teams in total). The U9 category will have an additional team, Homegrown Grasshoppers, bringing the total number of teams to 8 in this age group. The Mumbai City FC Blue Cubs League 2024-2025 will be hosted at the Wings Sports Centre, Bandra West, Mumbai. The league, held in affiliation with the Mumbai Football Association (MFA), Western India Football Association (WIFA)and All India Football Federation (AIFF), will run from January 15, 2025, to March 9, 2025. Kandarp Chandra – CEO, Mumbai City, commented: “Grassroots football development remains a priority for us at Mumbai City FC, and the Blue Cubs League is a key part of our efforts. We’re excited to see young players compete, grow, and showcase their talents this year. Their enthusiasm and commitment inspire us, and we’re proud to support the next generation of footballers. This league will be key in shaping their future in the sport. We thank MFA, WIFA, AIFF for their continued support in making this initiative a success." This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 January,2025 02:00 PM IST | Mumbai | AgenciesManvir Singh and Remsanga scored a goal each in injury time as Mohammedan SC came from behind to hold Chennaiyin FC to a 2-2 draw in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season at the Kishore Bharati Stadium on Wednesday night. Laldinpuia Pachua opened the scoring for Chennaiyin FC in the 10th minute before Lukas Brambilla doubled the lead in the 49th minute. Manvir Singh brought Mohammedan SC back into the game in added time (90+5’) before Remsanga found the equaliser (90+12’) late in the game. However, Connor Shields with two sensational assists, now leads the assists charts this season (8). It was a slow start, with both teams looking to settle their nerves before making those extravagant passes. Mohammedan SC looked a very upbeat unit, with Mirjalol Kasimov playing a more attacking role in the absence of Alexis Gomez. The Uzbek midfielder ventured forward and combined well with Carlos Franca. He also tried his luck from long range but failed to test Mohammed Nawaz in goal. Despite the good start, the home team found themselves trailing in the 10th minute when Connor Shields’s delivery from a flag kick found Laldinpuia in the penalty area, completely unmarked. The defender calmly headed it past Padam Chhetri in goal to hand the Marina Machans an early lead against the run of play. The goal gave that extra bit of confidence to Chennaiyin FC as they moved the ball better than before. In the 20th minute, Mohammedan SC almost found the equaliser when Franca powered through Elsinho with a marauding run, driving into the penalty area. However, the Brazilian’s subsequent effort was slightly off target. Andrey Chernyshov’s men got another opportunity in the 28th minute when Nawaz recklessly brought down Remsanga in the penalty area. It was a golden chance for the hosts to claw their way back into the game but Nawaz redeemed himself by denying Kasimov from the spot. It was also their third missed spot-kick of the ongoing season. The first half ended with a sensational opportunity for Chennaiyin FC to double the lead when Lukas Brambilla unleashed Wilmar Jordan Gil through on goal. With only the goalkeeper to beat, the Colombian hammered it on target but Padam was positioned correctly to deny him the goal. Chernyshov bolstered his forward line by bringing on Adison Singh to facilitate Franca at the start of halftime. Meanwhile, Laldinliana Renthlei came on for Ankit Mukherjee for the visitors. Chennaiyin FC started the second half with a lot more intensity and they latched onto Kasimov’s indecisiveness to open up the Mohammedan SC backline. Shields recycled the possession before releasing Brambilla, who drove into the box before slotting it past Padam to double the lead in the 49th minute. It was a feisty second half with plenty of tackles flying in from both teams. Mohammedan SC moved the ball slowly, failing to challenge Chennaiyin FC’s backline. On the other hand, the early goal in the second period allowed the visitors to take their foot off the pedal. The hosts had an opportunity to get back in the game when Kasimov’s long pass was headed into the penalty box by Florent Ogier. The ball reached Joe Zoherliana but the defender’s subsequent effort trembled the crossbar on its way out. The Black and Whites continued squandering chances when Franca glided past defenders on the left flank before drilling a cross into the penalty area. Vanlalzuidika Chhakchhuak arrived in time but his shot was a whisker away from goal. Intending to close out the game, Owen Coyle brought on Daniel Chima Chukwu and Vignesh Dakshinamurthy replacing Brambilla and Bikash Yumnam. The final ten minutes of the regulation time saw Mohammedan SC throw bodies forward with the intention of breaking down the Chennaiyin FC backline. They were eventually rewarded when two substitutes Makan Winkle Chothe and Manveer Saini combined with the latter hammering home the goal in added time following a fine touch in the penalty area. The hosts had an inspiring finish with a flurry of attacks and they eventually breached the Chennaiyin FC backline when Laldinpuia clipped Manvir in the penalty box awarding a penalty to Mohammedan SC. Laldinpuia received marching orders for his reckless challenge, reducing the visitors to 10 men. But things took a dramatic turn for Chennaiyin FC when Remsanga stepped up and converted from the spot (90+12) to hand the hosts a memorable draw at home. Mohammedan SC will next travel to Mumbai to lock horns with Mumbai City FC on January 26 whereas Chennaiyin FC will return home to host Mohun Bagan Super Giant on January 21. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 January,2025 12:44 PM IST | Kolkata | IANSArsenal reignited their Premier League title challenge with a stirring fightback to beat Tottenham 2-1 in the north London derby on Wednesday. Mikel Arteta's side were rocked by Son Heung-min's early opener at the Emirates Stadium. But they seized the bragging rights against their bitter rivals thanks to Dominic Solanke's own goal and Leandro Trossard's strike just before half-time. Arsenal's first win in four games in all competitions lifted them within four points of leaders Liverpool, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Nottingham Forest on Tuesday. Liverpool's game in hand on Arsenal still makes them title favourites, but the Gunners are at least applying some pressure on Arne Slot's men. Beaten 2-0 by Newcastle in the League Cup semi-final first leg last week and eliminated from the FA Cup third round by 10-man Manchester United on penalties on Sunday, Arsenal were desperate for a response and Tottenham once again proved their ideal opponents. Questions have been asked of Arteta's ability to add more silverware to the 2020 FA Cup, which remains the only trophy of a reign that started in 2019. With Bukayo Saka already sidelined due to hamstring surgery, Gabriel Jesus's potentially season-ending knee injury had added to Arteta's woes. But Arsenal have now won seven and drawn one of their last eight league games against Tottenham. It was another painful blow for under-fire Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou, whose team are just eight points above the relegation zone. Postecoglou must find a solution to the inconsistency that saw them beat Liverpool 1-0 in the League Cup semi-final first leg before needing extra-time to see off fifth tier Tamworth in the FA Cup third round. Tottenham are without a win in their last five league games, losing four of those to drop to 13th place. Raheem Sterling wasted a golden opportunity to put Arsenal ahead in the opening moments when his heavy touch allowed Djed Spence to clear after the winger raced through on goal. Looking wracked with nerves, Tottenham keeper Antonin Kinsky was fortunate not to gift a goal to Arsenal on his Premier League debut after taking too long to clear, with Kai Havertz unable to apply the finishing touch. Son strikes Tottenham hit back with a burst of pressure that produced the opener in the 25th minute. When Arsenal could only clear a corner to the edge of the area, Son smashed a shot that glanced off William Saliba as it flashed past David Raya. The South Korean's goal lifted him to fourth place in the all-time north London derby scoring charts with eight, behind Harry Kane's 14 and 10 each for Emmanuel Adebayor and Bobby Smith. But Arteta's men recovered their composure to wrestle back control in controversial fashion before half-time. They won a 40th minute corner that replays showed should have been a goal-kick because it ricocheted off Trossard and took full advantage. Declan Rice's delivery was misjudged by Kinsky and Gabriel's header back into the six-yard box went in via a hefty deflection off the unlucky Solanke. It was the fourth time set-piece specialists Arsenal had scored from a corner against Tottenham since the start of last season. Postecoglou was furious with the decision to allow the corner, but there was worse to come for the Australian as Trossard put Arsenal ahead in the 44th minute. Thomas Partey started the move by robbing Yves Bissouma in midfield and picking out Martin Odegaard. The Arsenal captain's pass sent Trossard galloping into the penalty area for a fierce low drive that whistled over Kinsky's weak attempted save into the far corner. Arsenal remained on top after the interval, but the profligate Havertz headed wide from Odegaard's cross and nodded straight at Kinsky from Partey's delivery. Kinsky saved from Rice and Odegaard in the closing stages as Arsenal threatened to win at a canter, before Pedro Porro hit the post for Tottenham in a dramatic finale. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 January,2025 12:43 PM IST | London | AFPLamine Yamal put on a spectacular show as Barcelona sailed into the Copa del Rey quarter-finals with a dazzling 5-1 victory over Real Betis on Wednesday. Atletico Madrid joined them in the last eight with a 4-0 win at second division Elche, their 15th consecutive triumph across all competitions. Barca's 17-year-old starlet Yamal scored and helped create two more goals as Hansi Flick's side ran riot at the Olympic Stadium. Gavi sent Barcelona ahead early on, with Jules Kounde, Raphinha, Ferran Torres and Yamal helping the Catalans rack up an impressive win. After winning the Spanish Super Cup in Saudi Arabia last weekend by thrashing Real Madrid, Barca came into the cup clash with restored confidence, having stuttered in the final weeks of 2024. "We have to continue like this," said Barca defender Pau Cubarsi, also 17, who came through the club's youth academy with Yamal. "I've been enjoying watching him for many years, now the whole world is, and he deserves it all." Barca dominated from the off against Betis, despite the coach resting a couple of key players including striker Robert Lewandowski. Dani Olmo, whom Barcelona controversially obtained a temporary playing license for last week, started at false nine in place of the Polish veteran. The Spaniard helped create the opening goal at the sharp end of a neat team move, with Gavi tucking home in the second minute. Olmo fired over and hit the post during a particularly busy opening period for the former RB Leipzig playmaker. Kounde smashed in Barcelona's second after the sublime Yamal dinked a ball through to him on the right of the box. It was an area the Catalans exploited time after time, with Kounde's second goal from a similar position disallowed for a marginal offside. At the other end goalkeeper Inaki Pena made a fine save to deny Vitor Roque, on loan at Betis from Barcelona.- Gavi 'big talent' - Early in the second half Yamal, who taunted Betis' defence throughout, finished clinically after Frenkie De Jong lobbed the ball through to him on the right of the box, but it was disallowed for an offside in the build-up. Minutes later Barcelona scored their third anyway, with Yamal's surging run from deep in his own half ending up with his deflected effort falling to Raphinha, who struck. Barcelona netted their fourth when, again exploiting the same part of Betis' area, Olmo chipped a pass to substitute Ferran Torres to finish emphatically. Yamal finally got on the scoresheet himself after breaking in from the right wing and finishing at the near post. Roque pulled one back from the penalty spot in the final stages for Betis after Kounde stood on Jesus Rodriguez's foot in the penalty area. Gavi said after the game Yamal was the best player in the world after former Barca forward Lionel Messi, and Flick also praised the winger. "Gavi's very emotional, so I say also yes (he's the best)," joked Flick. "You can see it, in great matches you see big talent and he showed it many many times, he's on a good (path)." Yamal, who shone for Spain as they won Euro 2024 last summer, has nine goals and 13 assists across all competitions for Barcelona this season. Atletico coach Diego Simeone rested some of his regular starters, including Antoine Griezmann, as his team ran out comfortable winners at Elche to continue their winning streak. Alexander Sorloth struck twice for the Rojiblancos in the first half, and the visitors were further bolstered when Elche's Nico Fernandez was sent off early in the second half. Rodrigo Riquelme extended Atletico's lead with a fine strike from distance and Julian Alvarez rounded off the rout. On Thursday Spanish champions Real Madrid host Celta Vigo and cup holders Athletic Bilbao welcome Osasuna. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 January,2025 12:43 PM IST | Barcelona | AFPLiverpool’s charge towards the Premier League title was halted by a stubborn Nottingham Forest in a 1-1 draw on Tuesday while Manchester City’s resurgence came undone in a 2-2 draw at Brentford. Chris Wood fired Forest in front early on at a raucous City Ground, but Liverpool dominated almost the entire 97 minutes and got back on level terms thanks to substitute Diogo Jota’s goal with his first touch. Only a brilliant goalkeeping performance from Matz Sels denied the leaders victory, but the point maintained a six-point cushion over Forest for Arne Slot’s men, who also have a game in hand. Liverpool boss Arne Slot was very pleased with his team’s effort, despite not coming away with all three points. Slot happy despite 2-2 result “I could not have asked for more. Second half was outstanding. There are not many teams that can create so many chances against an opponent so defensively strong. Unfortunately we couldn’t get a second,” said Slot. Liverpool’s second consecutive league draw opens the door for Arsenal to cut the gap at the top to four points when they host Tottenham in the north London derby on Wednesday night. Meanwhile, any suggestion that Manchester City could get themselves back in the title race was ended after a late collapse in West London as Brentford struck twice in the final 10 minutes. Earlier, Phil Foden’s double had City on course for a fourth consecutive win after a run of just one victory in 13 games. Defence lets City down However, the English champions’ defending left much to be desired all night and they were duly punished as Yoane Wissa and Christian Norgaard netted for the Bees, despite Brentford wasting a host of good chances. Guardiola was left to lament the lack of physicality and height from his group of midfielders in the absence of Rodri, as both the goals they conceded stemmed from crosses into the box. Guardiola unimpressed “We are not [at our best] and we didn’t take the right decisions. At 2-0, we have to close it, but we don’t have those specific players to defend in the box, so we have to do it by controlling the ball,” said Guardiola. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 January,2025 06:59 AM IST | London | AgenciesRed Bull head of global football Jurgen Klopp slammed the Club World Cup on Tuesday, saying it is asking too much of overworked players. Despite Red Bull-backed Salzburg’s inclusion in FIFA’s expanded 32-team tournament in the United States next summer, Klopp said he doesn’t like the competition. “I think it’s useless. It doesn’t help if you have no summer break,” Klopp said, referring to players who played in the World Cup, European Championship, Copa America or other international competitions. “Who wins the tournament is the poorest winner of all time because he has to play the whole summer through and then the league starts again. We have now a lot of injuries in European football,” Klopp added. “We have to reduce the amount of games. That means in some leagues it would be better (if) you have 18 instead of 20. “That means in other competitions, you don’t add games.” Klopp, who was being presented in his new role by Red Bull, suggested fans should have the opportunity to watch other sports, too. “In Germany, you could watch handball. In Austria, you could watch skiing or whatever. You have other wonderful sports that you could watch in that time,” Klopp said. “You don’t have to fill each gap with football.” In November, soccer’s global players’ union warned that it could not rule out a players’ strike because of the number of games they have to play. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
16 January,2025 06:58 AM IST | Salzburg | AP | PTIManchester City have announced the passing of former captain and manager Tony Book aged 90. A true club legend, Tony made 315 appearances for City in total between 1966 and 1974, scoring five goals. Tony passed away peacefully on Monday and leaves behind his wife Sylvia, children Anthony and Tracey along with grandson Jake, and great-grandsons Ashley and Brody. “Everyone at Manchester City would like to send their heartfelt condolences to Tony’s family and friends at this very sad time. As a mark of respect, flags around the Etihad Stadium and City Football Academy are flying at half-mast. More tributes from the Club will follow in the coming days,” read the statement by the club. Also Read: Gujarat Titans kicks off second season of 'Junior Titans’ Appointed captain in 1967, Tony went on to lead City to a First Division title, an FA Cup, a League Cup, a European Cup Winners’ Cup and a Charity Shield title across what was a golden era of success. That alone would have cemented his standing as one of the Club’s all-time greats. However, Tony then further emphasised his unique place in City folklore by embarking on what was to prove a hugely successful spell as manager between 1974 and 1979. The highlight of his time in charge came in 1976 when Tony led City to League Cup glory at Wembley, with Skip also guiding City to runners-up position in Division One in the 1976/77 campaign. His enormous impact at the Club was further illustrated in the following decade when, by then serving as youth coach, he helped inspire City to a first-ever FA Youth Cup triumph in 1986. He was subsequently named an Honorary President as well as held down a role as Life President of the Official Supporters Club and remained a hugely popular member of the matchday legends at Etihad home games. “For nearly sixty years Tony helped to shape Manchester City. Not just in what he contributed as a player, captain, and manager, but in the way he conducted himself. His hopes and ambitions for his club were matched only by his incredible humility regarding his own significant achievements. “He will forever be remembered by our supporters as a man who helped to lay the foundations upon which unprecedented success could be built. A player and leader whose outstanding abilities not only helped return us to the peak of English football but also delivered our first ever European honour” read the statement by City Chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 January,2025 06:11 PM IST | Manchester | IANSJithin M.S. scored the crucial goal as NorthEast United FC came from behind to hold FC Goa to a 1-1 draw in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season at the Indira Gandhi Athletic Stadium here on Tuesday. Mohammad Yasir had his fair share of luck when he handed the lead to the Gaurs but Jithin’ 76th minute strike saw the Highlanders split points. This was the 11th draw between these two teams, the most number of stalemates between two teams in ISL’s history. The Highlanders started the game on the front foot as the likes of Guillermo Fernandez and Alaaeddine Ajaraie were making some marauding runs whilst keeping the FC Goa defenders on their toes. However, the first real opportunity came to the Gaurs when Dejan Drazic found Armando Sadiku with a telling cross in the penalty area. But unfortunately, the Albanian’s header was not strong enough to trouble Gurmeet Singh in goal. Minutes later, Ajaraie almost opened the scoring when Buanthanglun Samte found him with a great long pass. The Moroccan was through on goal but his subsequent effort was tipped over the bar by Hritik Tiwari. Samte was enjoying a lot of space on the right flank and he unleashed some great crosses for Guillermo and Jithin MS. However, the NorthEast United FC forwards weren’t clinical enough to take their chances. Also Read: "How long will people talk about it?": Ravichandran Ashwin on playing farewell match for India Despite absorbing the pressure from the hosts for the majority of the first half, FC Goa finished the half on a strong note. Although they didn’t break the deadlock, they created a few chances and controlled the tempo of the game in midfield, putting the pressure back on the Highlanders. The spell almost resulted in a goal when Brison Fernandes displayed excellent skill to lose his marker in the penalty area before his effort rifled into the crossbar on its way out. NorthEast United FC started the second half with a lot of zeal just like they did in the first half. However, they lacked the cutting edge in the final third to break open FC Goa’s resolute backline. In the 59th minute, assistant coach Naushad Moosa decided to change the dynamics of the game as he brought on Nestor Albiach and Ninthoinganba Meetei in place of Guillermo and Muthu Mayakkannan. Nestor almost made an instant impact when he combined with Ajaraei for a give-and-go and Hrithik lost the ball in the crowd, creating an opening for the Spaniard. But Odei Onaindia cleared the dangerous ball away from the goal. FC Goa, completely against the run of play, broke the deadlock in the 65th minute when Jay Gupta unleashed a long ball into the penalty area which was brought down by Mohammed Yasir and played towards Brison. The youngster played it back to Yasir, who hammered it into the bottom right corner, handing an important lead to the Gaurs. The Highlanders bombarded the FC Goa penalty area with many long balls in search of securing the equaliser. However, their route one approach tonight worked in favour of the Gaurs as both Odei and Sandesh Jhingan looked pretty comfortable in clearing away the aerial balls or winning aerial duels against their NorthEast United FC counterparts. After getting frustrated with a sustained spell of long balls, the Highlanders decided to hit FC Goa on the counter. Ajaraie held the ball brilliantly before sending it to Jithin with a sensational through ball. The winger eventually slotted the ball past Hrithik in goal to bring the hosts back in the game in the 76th minute. Right after conceding the goal, Manolo Marquez unleashed Iker Guarrotxena and Ayush Chhetri replacing Sadiku and Brison to add more fresh legs in attack and midfield respectively. Both teams tried their luck in the final quarter but at the final whistle, there was nothing to separate them. NorthEast United FC will travel to Kerala to face the Kerala Blasters on January 18 whereas FC Goa will host East Bengal FC on January 19. This story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed, agencies. Mid-day accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability, trustworthiness, reliability and data of the text. Mid-day management/mid-day.com reserves the sole right to alter, delete or remove (without notice) the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever
15 January,2025 01:05 PM IST | Guwahati | IANSADVERTISEMENT
