FC Goa (FCG) defeated East Bengal FC (EBFC) by 1-0 at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in Goa in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 on Sunday. The Gaurs (FCG) moved to the second spot in the points table with their eighth victory of the season, having 30 points to their name from 16 matches now. Brison Fernandes' sixth goal of this ISL campaign proved enough for the home team to clinch the triumph, in a game where they took three shots on target, as opposed to the six of East Bengal FC, according to ISL. Lal Chungnunga ensured that East Bengal FC were on the assertive upfront, setting up a sharp delivery for Vishnu Puthiya outside the box, which the latter shot firmly, but off target to the right in the third minute. Immediately afterwards, FC Goa embarked on the attack, pushing numbers ahead to overwhelm the visitors in their box, resulting in Odei Onaindia attempting a left-footed shot, which was blocked in time though. As FC Goa kept creating a spate of opportunities, Hijazi Maher conceded a corner to thwart an offensive move by the Gaurs. However, the set-piece yielded the needed outcome for the Gaurs, as Borja Herrera picked the ball on the right flank and curled in a cross for Brison Fernandes, who headed the ball into the middle of the net from the centre of the box in the 13th minute. Seven minutes later, Richard Celis tested his luck from considerable distance upon receiving a ball from Dimitrios Diamantakos. Also Read: Mohammed Siraj likely to play for Hyderabad in Ranji Trophy game against Vidarbha His right-footed effort on the left was too high to the target though. East Bengal FC weren't far off in trying out opportunities from outside of the box either. Jeakson Singh made one such move in the 37th minute, and though the delivery had enough power behind it, the ball missed the top right corner by a whisker. The Gaurs brought in Ayush Dev Chhetri in the second half for Sahil Tavora, but it was East Bengal FC who dictated terms in the start of the final essay of the game. Richard was served a tempting pass by Vishnu on the left side of the six-yard box but his shot, which was heading towards target, was blocked to save FC Goa the blushes in the 52nd minute. Three minutes post that, David Lalhlansanga came on for Cleiton Silva as East Bengal FC chased greater intensity in their final third. However, it was Richard who kept troubling the home side the most, as he became the target man for both Nandhakumar Sekar and Vishnu. In a quick passage of play in the 67th minute, the two Indian stars provided him deliveries inside the 18-yard box, and despite making a right-footed shot and then an headed effort, his well-directed attempts were saved by Hrithik Tiwari. Lal Chungnunga made a rather hurried effort to find the back of the net as he aimed for the target from over 35 yards out upon obtaining a pass from Maher in the 88th minute. The shot was impressively landing right in the centre of the net, but Tiwari held his ground to ensure that the Gaurs walked away with all three points from this match. Brison completed 13 out of his 18 attempted passes, making one interception, producing three goal-scoring opportunities, putting in four tackles, and netting once too. FC Goa will play their next game against Chennaiyin FC on January 25. East Bengal FC are set to face Kerala Blasters FC on January 24. 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
20 January,2025 10:23 AM IST | Margao (Goa) | IANSManchester United crashed to a dismal 1-3 defeat against Brighton as Ruben Amorim’s problems mounted. United crumbled to a sixth defeat in 11 league games since Amorim arrived from Sporting Lisbon to replace the sacked Erik ten Hag. Also Read: Nowhere near our standards, fumes Arteta after draw United are languishing in 13th place. Yankuba Minteh set the tone for United’s moribund performance with an early opener for Brighton. Bruno Fernandes equalised with a penalty before half-time, but second half goals from Kaoru Mitoma and Georginio Rutter left United in turmoil. Meanwhile, Everton took advantage of injury-ravaged Tottenham’s troubles with a 3-2 victory to pull clear of the Premier League relegation zone. The goal-shy Toffees tore through a bedraggled Spurs backline to net three times before the break through Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Iliman Ndiaye and an Archie Gray own goal. 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
20 January,2025 08:00 AM IST | Manchester | AFPMikel Arteta admitted Arsenal had to take the blame for their damaging 2-2 draw against Aston Villa after sloppy defending cost them a chance to keep pace with leaders Liverpool. Also Read: Australian Open: Bops-Shuai get walkover in mixed pre-quarters Arteta’s side were on course to move back within four points of Liverpool after Gabriel Martinelli and Kai Havertz scored to build a two-goal lead by the 55th minute. But Arsenal collapsed midway through the second half as Youri Tielemans reduced the deficit before boyhood Gunners fan Ollie Watkins bagged the equaliser eight minutes later. “The way we defended, especially the second goal, can’t be part of our game. Conceding the two goals cannot be part of our game if you want to constantly win. It’s nowhere near the standards of what we demand,” Arteta 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
20 January,2025 07:56 AM IST | London | AFPBarcelona left-back Alejandro Balde said he was targeted by racist insults from fans at an away game at Getafe in La Liga. Also Read: Bronze-winner Sonam hopes to save family home from being mortgaged “I received racist insults, something that shouldn’t happen, and I think I should say it here,” Balde said during a post-game television interview on Movistar on Saturday. Balde, who is Black, said he heard the insults in the first half of a game that ended 1-1. He said he informed the referee. 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
20 January,2025 07:36 AM IST | Madrid | AP | PTIHyderabad 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 | IANSADVERTISEMENT
