Hyderabad FC and Bengaluru FC played out a 1-1 draw at the GMC Balayogi Athletic Stadium in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Saturday. Devendra Murgaonkar’s first-half strike was neutralised by Sunil Chhetri in the second essay of the match. Chhetri, 40, touched the 10-goal mark for the second time in his ISL career, after having netted 14 times in the 2017-18 campaign. Bengaluru FC held 62.4 per cent of the possession, but had a solitary shot on target, which Chhetri converted to get them a point out of this match. The opening phase of the game was slightly cagey as both teams struggled to create clear chances. Bengaluru FC attempted to break past the Hyderabad FC defensive line but were not exactly cohesive in their moves. Chhetri was flagged offside twice in the opening 20 minutes. The home side retaliated soon afterwards, as they embarked on a positive phase of play with Allan Paulista winning a free-kick in the attacking half. Ramhlunchhunga served a pinpoint cross for Devendra Murgaonkar, who was positioned at the centre of the 18-yard box and headed the ball into the bottom right corner to get the lead in the 21st minute. Murgaonkar operated sharply in the offensive, making the right moves in the Bengaluru FC box to cause troubles to the visitors. Twelve minutes after his goal, Joseph Sunny picked the attacker in a spot on the right side of the penalty area. Murgaonkar did well to exert power behind his shot from that angle, but the ball was saved by Gurpreet Singh Sandhu on the top right corner. The Bengaluru FC camp made as many as four substitutions after the half-time break in a bid to produce a comeback. Ryan Williams, Chinglensana Singh, Edgar Mendez, and Lalremtluanga Fanai came in the places of Aleksandar Jovanovic, Harsh Patre, Pedro Capo, and Shivaldo Singh respectively. Mendez settled seamlessly into the game, latching onto a cross by Naorem Mahesh Singh in the 51st minute. Despite the close distance between him and the goal, the forward’s header ended a bit too high to the target. Just before the hour mark, Ramhlunchhunga demonstrated his exceptional shooting skills with a long-range effort from over 40 yards out upon receiving a pass from Andrei Alba. Impressively, the ball was headed straight on target and required Sandhu to save it in the bottom left corner. Bengaluru FC grabbed hold of the equaliser with a template that has yielded them high returns this season. Williams’ second-half introduction delivered just what the Blues needed, as he chipped in a precisely paced cross for Chhetri in the 78th minute in the middle of the box. The forward met the delivery and nodded it into the bottom right corner accurately to pull the visitors back in the proceedings. This was the fourth instance this season when Williams assisted Chhetri’s goal, showing the remarkable link-up between the two players. Bengaluru FC became increasingly probing of the Hyderabad FC defence post this strike. They threw bodies from the midfield and frontline ahead in the quest of the winner. A couple of minutes before the 90th minute mark, Alberto Noguera tried his luck from distance upon receiving a pass from Diaz. The midfielder’s shot wasn’t directed on target though, as both teams settled for a point each eventually. 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
19 January,2025 08:35 AM IST | Hyderabad | IANSKerala Blasters FC restricted NorthEast United FC to a goalless draw at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Kochi in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Saturday. The home team showed exceptional defensive prowess to hold the Highlanders at bay and secure a point despite playing with 10 men for over 60 minutes of the game. Jithin MS, who scored his opening goal of the season in the last match, came close to getting the Highlanders the lead as he got to the end of a delivery by Mohammed Bemammer following a corner. His shot lacked direction though, and ended high and wide on the left as it was hit from distance in the 12th minute. Three minutes later, Kerala Blasters FC star Noah Sadaoui attempted a similar effort, again from outside of the 18-yard box. He aimed for the left corner of the net, but it ended off target. Soon afterwards, the Kochi-based team created an offensive move in the Highlanders’ defensive third but Noah didn’t time his run appropriately, getting flagged offside. The game took a decisive turn in the 30th minute with Aibanbha Dohling of the Kerala Blasters FC getting sent off for violent conduct. This gave the Highlanders, the league’s joint-highest scoring team (31), a fantastic chance to optimise their one-man advantage. At the brink of the half-time whistle, Alaaeddine Ajaraie picked up a pass from Macarton Nickson outside the box and unleashed a left footed shot that was blocked by the Kerala Blasters FC backline. Bekey Oram ensured that the Highlanders stayed in the quest for the goal, finding Ajaraie inside the 18-yard area on the left side, and the striker took a firm shot that required Kerala Blasters FC goalkeeper Sachin Suresh to save it on the top left corner. Noah ensured a formidable start for the home team in the second half, teaming up with Milos Drincic to test the NorthEast United FC defence. His vicious effort from the right foot was saved at the centre of the goal by Gurmeet Singh. NorthEast United FC responded with Guillermo Fernández and Buanthanglun Samte joining hands near the box for the latter to find a pocket of space on the left and hit a shot with his left feet in the 56th minute that missed the target in the right. Twelve minutes later, Nestor Albiach set up a pass for Ajaraie outside the box and the forward didn’t build up the move, instead exploring the space inside the Kerala Blasters FC box to make a shot that landed high above the net. Fernandez had a defining opportunity land to him in the 82nd minute, having the chance to net the ball from inside the box with his right feet, but an organised Kerala Blasters FC defence thwarted that danger collectively, earning a hard-fought point from the draw. 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
19 January,2025 08:25 AM IST | Kochi | IANSVirgil van Dijk hailed Darwin Nunez for his match-winning contribution after Liverpool beat Brentford 2-0 thanks to a stoppage-time double from their striker. Nunez was introduced midway through the second half of Saturday’s contest at Gtech Community Stadium and went on to be decisive as he struck twice in added time to secure a crucial victory for the Premier League leaders. “It was a lot of hard work. Brentford away is a difficult place to come. The way they press high, eventally going to a low block and the quality they have on the break. We did well. We kept working, kept trying. Eventually Darwin made a difference with the two goals,” said skipper Virgil Van Dijk to BBC Sport The striker stepped off the bench in the 65th minute at Gtech Community Stadium and became the match-winner with his late heroics. It looked like it was going to be a day of frustration for the title-chasing Reds until Nunez ended the deadlock in the first minute of added-on time, before making sure of the win with 90+3 on the clock. “Darwin since the day he came in he brings a lot of energy. As a striker you're judged by your goals. Maybe it's tougher than ever. He's working hard and learning. Today he had a massive part of the victory. It was well deserved. Today was a small piece of the puzzle. We have to keep going," he added. It was a much needed three points for Liverpool as they extended their lead over Arsenal to seven points, with the Gunners set to play later on in the day. The Dutch defender went on to state the season is going to be a bumpy ride. “There is no walk in the park. Every game, teams are very good. They want to play their best game against us like we want to play our best game against them. If nobody is ready for a bumpy ride then this season will definitely be one,” said Van Dijk. 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
19 January,2025 08:24 AM IST | London | IANSJustin Kluivert’s stunning hat-trick snapped Newcastle’s winning streak in style as Bournemouth stormed into the Premier League’s top six with a rampant 4-1 win at St. James’ Park on Saturday. The Magpies were looking to set a club record with a 10th consecutive victory in all competitions but were thoroughly outplayed by the Cherries, who are themselves now on an 11-game unbeaten streak. Kluivert, son of former Newcastle striker Patrick Kluivert, was the star of the show before Milos Kerkez fired in a fourth in stoppage time. Defeat leaves Newcastle in fourth but now just one point clear of Bournemouth in the race for a place in next season’s Champions League. 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
19 January,2025 08:17 AM IST | Newcastle | AFPManchester United and Scotland great Denis Law has died at the age of 84, sparking a wave of heartfelt tributes to a man known at Old Trafford as “The King.” Law was a member of United’s European Cup-winning side under Matt Busby in 1968, when they became the first English club to lift the trophy. Capped 55 times by Scotland, he remains his country’s joint all-time leading scorer with 30 goals alongside Kenny Dalglish. 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
19 January,2025 07:45 AM IST | London | AFPAmad Diallo keeps coming up with big late goals for Manchester United. There were three of them on Thursday in a remarkable 12-minute flurry that rescued United from an embarrassing loss to the Premier League’s worst team. Diallo, a 22-year-old winger from the Ivory Coast, scored a hat-trick from the 82nd minute to earn United a 3-1 victory over last-place Southampton, just when it looked like his team were heading for a fourth straight home loss for the first time since the 1930s. “In football you have to believe. We believed until the end,” said Diallo, who signed a new five-year contract with United last week as a reward for becoming one of its most important players. Diallo’s knack of scoring late That’s because Diallo is proving a man for the big occasion. Two weeks ago, he scored an 80th-minute equaliser at Anfield to secure a 2-2 draw against Liverpool; a month ago, he scored a 90th-minute winner at Manchester City; and who could forget his winner in stoppage time of extra time as United ousted Liverpool in the FA Cup quarter-finals. Also Read: Australian Open: Bopanna and partner Zhang advance to Rd 2 Ruben Amorim Now, he is a mainstay of the team, even trusted by manager Ruben Amorim to play the demanding position of right wing back. By the end of the game against Southampton, Diallo was playing like a forward and he equalised in the 82nd minute, scoring at the second attempt after his initial shot was blocked. Diallo put United ahead in the 90th minute when he ran onto Christian Eriksen’s chip over the defence and volleyed home, and added a third goal in the fourth minute of stoppage time after dispossessing a Southampton defender in front of an empty goal. “I am ready to play every position. I am ready to play as a wing back, No. 10, where the manager likes to put me,” said Diallo, the second-youngest scorer of a Premier League hat-trick for United, after Wayne Rooney. I am ready to fight for this club.” Utd boss Amorim impressed Amorim said “good things are going to happen” for the Ivory Coast international if he continues to train well. “He is in a great moment and he is having a very good season,” Amorim said. United climbed to 12th place in the league but were largely poor against Southampton, who took the lead thanks to an own-goal by Manuel Ugarte in the 43rd minute. Southampton stayed on just six points for the season and look a near-certainty for relegation. The team is 10 points from safety. 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
18 January,2025 11:16 AM IST | London | AP | ANINikolaos 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 | IANSADVERTISEMENT
