Mohammedan SC held Odisha FC to a goalless draw to break their five-game losing streak in the Indian Super League here on Friday. Odisha FC dominated the proceedings at the Kishore Bharati Krirangan for most part of the game but couldn't manage a single shot on target, while the home side had a couple of shots at the goal but without any success. Mohammedan SC got their first clear goal-scoring opportunity in the seventh minute when Alexis Gomez picked up the ball from a set-piece and hurled in a cross for Joe Zoherliana at the centre of the box, which the latter ended up heading over the crossbar. Seven minutes later, Bikash Singh set up a chance for Gomez, who shot it past the left side of the goal from outside of the 18-yard box. Gomez continued to stay in the centre of the action, as his presence in the final third was central to Mohammedan SC producing opportunities. He crossed the ball in for Lalremsanga Fanai in the middle of the box, whose shot in the 20th minute lacked precision. Fanai interlinked again with Gomez 15 minutes later, and the latter took a heavy touch but smashed the ball from considerable distance. The effort required Amrinder Singh to make a quick save to keep the scores level. Odisha FC were struggling to get their grip on the proceedings but got a formidable chance in the 54th minute, courtesy of a free-kick from Hugo Boumous. The attacking midfielder lobbed in a ball into the box, which seemed to be directed to Thoiba Singh, but Mohammedan SC's Mohammed Irshad ended up getting to the delivery first. Mohammedan SC's Gomez sprung back into the offensive in the 66th minute. He engaged in a swift one-two with Bikash on the left flank before sprinting down the centre and unleashing a powerful shot that ricocheted off the crossbar, which was the closest he had come to breaking the deadlock. Mohammedan SC probed the Odisha FC backline seven minutes later with Irshad receiving the ball from a corner and swinging in a creative cross for Cesar Manzoki, who hit the crossbar from touchingly close distance. Odisha FC made some late substitutions in the form of Aphaoba Singh and Rohit Kumar coming in for Isak Vanlalruatfela and Thoiba respectively. In the fourth minute of the added time of the second half, Boumous delivered a lateral ball for Diego Mauricio inside the box, but the Brazilian's headed shot didn't land on target. 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
28 December,2024 10:59 AM IST | Kolkata | PTIWest Ham goalkeeper Lukasz Fabianski is “alert” and conscious after being taken off the field on a stretcher during the team’s 1-0 win at Southampton in the Premier League, manager Julen Lopetegui said. The game was delayed for around eight minutes as Fabianski received treatment on the field at St Mary’s Stadium. Fabianski, 39, was hurt in a collision from a corner. 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
28 December,2024 06:31 AM IST | Southampton | AP | PTILiverpool boss Arne Slot said it was “too early” to say his side were on course for the Premier League title after a 3-1 win over Leicester extended their lead at the top of the table. Liverpool moved seven points clear of second-placed Chelsea, with a game in hand. But Dutch manager Slot, in his first season in charge since succeeding Jurgen Klopp, remains cautious about the prospect of bringing the Premier League title to Anfield for the first time since 2020. “If you are in this game for a long time like the players and I am, then 20 games before the end you don’t look at it as there are so many challenges ahead of you,” he said after goals from Cody Gakpo, Curtis Jones and Mohamed Salah helped turn the tide following Jordan Ayew’s early strike for Leicester. “Injuries and a bit of bad luck can happen to any team, it is far too early to be already celebrating — but it is nice for us to be where we are.” Slot added: “I don’t think there was any easy win for us in any of these games. That tells you how difficult it is to win even when you have all your players available. That is why we have to take it one game at a time.” 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
28 December,2024 06:29 AM IST | Liverpool | AFPRuben Amorim admitted he had “no idea” how long it will take for him to revive Manchester United, saying his focus was on “survival” after a defeat by Wolves condemned him to the worst start by any Old Trafford boss in nearly 100 years. Third consecutive defeat Thursday’s 2-0 loss at Molineux — United’s third consecutive defeat — made Amorim the first United manager to lose five or more of his first 10 matches in charge since Walter Crickmer in January 1932. “I have no idea. No idea. Instead of me trying to understand how much time it will take, just day by day,” Amorim said when asked how long it will take for his ideas to have an impact. “Improving, trying to see the videos, using every minute of training and try to win some points because it’s really important in this moment... In this moment, we just have to survive and win some time to work on the team. “We already knew it. I start this job and you start with the team, a new idea, without any time to train, with a lot of games, tough games,” he added. Defeat left United closer to the relegation zone than the Champions League places heading into their final match of 2024 at home to in-form Newcastle. Following last week’s League Cup quarter-final loss to Tottenham and the home defeat by Bournemouth, things went from bad to worse for United at Molineux. Captain Bruno sent off United captain Bruno Fernandes was sent off for a second yellow yard soon after half-time, with Wolves’ Matheus Cunha scoring directly from a corner. Cunha then set up substitute Hwang Hee-chan to complete a 2-0 win deep into stoppage time that left United a lowly 14th in the Premier League table. “The idea needs time,” said Amorim. “I said it before to you guys that this will be a tough moment and we are far from the end of this moment and that’s it.” 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
28 December,2024 06:29 AM IST | Wolverhampton | AFPManchester City boss Pep Guardiola has admitted that the club are at risk of missing out on a place in the Champions League next year. The defending Premier League champions are enduring a testing time, slipping down the top-flight table and towards the lower end of the play-off qualification spots in the UEFA Champions League. City are currently in their 14th consecutive season in Europe’s most prestigious club competition. The only English clubs with longer streaks of qualification are Arsenal, who qualified from 1998 to 2017, and Manchester United, who did so from 1996 to 2014. City have won just one of their last nine Premier League games and are seventh in the table, 11 points behind leaders Liverpool. “When I said before, people laughed. They said, ‘qualifying for the Champions League is not a big success’. But I know it because it happens with clubs in this country. They were dominant for many years and after they were many years not qualifying for the Champions League,” Guardiola was quoted as saying by BBC. Manchester City is the one that has been in the Champions League for the past years. Now we are at risk, of course we are. Definitely,” he added. Guardiola was critical of those who had prematurely handed the title to City at the start of the season, while also accepting his team had dropped points from winning positions. “People at the beginning of the season started saying ‘City are going to win the Premier League in November’. The people think it’s ordinary to win and win when it’s something extraordinary. Now it’s a little bit the opposite, because it’s extraordinary to lose a lot of games. Some of them could have not happened, we played more than well enough to (take points),” 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
27 December,2024 08:58 AM IST | Manchester | IANSSporting Lisbon sacked coach Joao Pereira just over a month after he replaced Ruben Amorim at the helm, with Rui Borges appointed as the new boss on Thursday. Pereira was named coach when Amorim left for English giants Manchester United, but has paid the price for Sporting’s sudden loss of form. The capital club, who had a 100-percent record in the Primeira Liga this season before he took over, lost top spot in the Portuguese top-flight to Benfica following a 0-0 draw with Gil Vicente last weekend. Pereira lost his first four Premier League and Champions League matches in charge. His replacement, the 43-year-old Borges, was coach of sixth-placed Vitoria Guimaraes. 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
27 December,2024 06:17 AM IST | Lisbon | AFPErling Haaland had a second-half penalty saved as Manchester City’s astonishing slump continued with a 1-1 draw against lowly Everton at the Etihad Stadium. Winners of the last four Premier League titles, the English champions have won just once in their last 13 games in all competitions. Bernardo Silva put City in front early on before Iliman Ndiaye salvaged a point for the Toffees. City climb to sixth but could end the day five points adrift of the top four. A hard-fought point for the visitors edges Everton five clear of the relegation zone in 15th. City boss Pep Guardiola conceded ahead of the game that his side are at risk of failing to qualify for the Champions League for the first time in 15 years. The top four automatically qualify for Europe’s premier club competition but fifth is likely to be enough this season due to a strong start by English clubs in European competition. City fail to hold on to lead Not for the first time in City’s miserable few months they failed to build on a promising start. Josko Gvardiol headed a corner off the post inside the opening three minutes. Everton had kept five clean sheets in their last six games but were breached after just 14 minutes. Jeremy Doku fed Silva and his effort across goal deflected off Jarrad Branthwaite and looped beyond the helpless Jordan Pickford. Silva wasted a glorious chance for the vital second goal when he attempted a tough finish with the outside of his left boot that flew past the post when he had just Pickford to beat. Guardiola held his head in his hands as that opportunity slipped by and had even more reason to lament moments later. Manuel Akanji sliced an attempted clearance into the path of Ndiaye, who took one touch to control before unleashing a brilliant finish into the top corner for Everton’s first away goal in over two months. Pickford denied Savinho’s low effort and Mateo Kovacic fired just wide as City upped the tempo at the start of the second period. There was another major swing in momentum just seven minutes after the restart. Savinho was chopped down inside the area by Vitaliy Mykolenko, who was lucky to avoid a second yellow card. Haaland had the chance to end his longest goal drought at the Etihad but his spot-kick was that of a striker short in confidence as Pickford dived low to his right to make the save. The giant Norwegian headed in after Gvardiol nodded the rebound across goal but was clearly offside. Goal drought The 24-year-old has now scored just once his last seven matches. It should have been even worse for Guardiola’s men as Everton spurned a huge chance to snatch all three points deep in stoppage time. Jack Harrison’s shot was blocked after the visitors failed to make the most of a four v two counter-attack. Other key results>> Chelsea 1-2 Fulham>> Newcastle 3-0 Aston Villa>> Nottingham 1-0 Tottenham>> Bournemouth 0-0 Palace 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
27 December,2024 06:16 AM IST | Manchester | AP | PTIFormer Chelsea midfielder Oscar is returning to his Brazilian boyhood club Sao Paulo after 14 years, which included a long spell in Chinese football. Sao Paulo president Julio Casares posted photos on Tuesday on his social media channels which showed him with the 33-year-old former Brazil international. Casares described the move as “a super transfer.” Minutes later, Oscar thanked China’s Shanghai Port, where he played for eight seasons, for his time at the Chinese Super League club. “Today I finish a cycle that marked my life forever,” he said. Oscar joined Sao Paulo on a free transfer. 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
26 December,2024 06:29 AM IST | Sao Paulo | AP | PTIChristmas Premier League chart-toppers Liverpool are overwhelming favourites to see off struggling Leicester on Boxing Day (Thursday). Meanwhile, both crisis-hit Manchester clubs will seek a festive fillip, with faltering champions City at home to Everton and United away to Wolves. Second-placed Chelsea host Fulham while in-form Arsenal will fancy their chances against relegation-threatened Ipswich on Friday, even without the injured Bukayo Saka. Ange Postecoglou’s Tottenham, licking their wounds after a brutal 6-3 hammering by Liverpool, face a tough assignment at high-flying Nottingham Forest. Liverpool are top of the table on Christmas Day for the first time since the 2020-21 season. Just once in the past seven top-flight campaigns in which they have sat at the summit on December 25, have they gone on to win the title. Arne Slot’s side returned to winning ways in style on Sunday, overwhelming Spurs following two frustrating draws. They are four points clear of Chelsea with a game in hand. It would be a huge surprise if they slipped up against Leicester at home, especially with Mohamed Salah enjoying a purple patch. The Egypt international is the first player to reach double figures for both goals (15) and assists (11) before Christmas in the history of the Premier League. Leicester won their first match under new manager Ruud van Nistelrooy earlier this month but have collected just a single point in their past three matches, conceding nine goals. 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
26 December,2024 06:27 AM IST | London | AFPSoccer star Cristiano Ronaldo said it was 'just a little cold' as he posed bare-chested in the snow before taking an icy dip in a pool during a Christmas vacation in Finland's Lapland region. The 39-year-old Portuguese international traveled with partner Georgina Rodriguez and their children, who met Santa Claus in a 10-minute video posted online by Ronaldo on Tuesday. It’s just a little cold 🥶😂Watch my complete family trip video: https://t.co/hUJ1n3v0h1 pic.twitter.com/5yOUzeVvEb — Cristiano Ronaldo (@Cristiano) December 24, 2024 The former Real Madrid and Manchester United great appeared to decline to ski with his family. He wished his followers, including 645 million on Instagram, a 'Merry Christmas' in Spanish. The Al-Nassr striker is on a winter break from the Saudi Pro League until January 9. Meanwhile, Ronaldo recently led the celebrations after Portugal and five other countries were officially announced as hosts of the 2030 men’s World Cup, with the player saying the unique tournament will be the “most special” yet. The 2030 tournament will be the first World Cup played in six different countries, with Spain, Portuga,l and Morocco as the main hosts while South American nations Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay will each get one game. The format will help FIFA mark the centenary of Uruguay hosting the first World Cup in 1930. “A dream come true,” the 39-year-old Ronaldo wrote in an Instagram post that had a photo of him celebrating while wearing Portugal’s jersey and featured the words: “The Most Special World Cup ever.” Ronaldo is the only man to have scored at five World Cup tournaments, but he is unlikely to still be playing in 2030. “Portugal will host the 2030 World Cup and make us proud,” he wrote. The approval of the six-nation bid was mostly a formality at FIFA’s online meeting on Wednesday, with Saudi Arabia also officially confirmed as the 2034 World Cup host.
25 December,2024 01:28 PM IST | Helsinki | mid-day online correspondentThe world football players’ union disagreed with FIFA’s temporary changes to transfer rules on Monday following the landmark Lassana Diarra judgement. Former France international Diarra challenged FIFA ‘s rules due to a dispute with a club dating to 2014, and the European Court of Justice ruled in October that some rules were contrary to European Union law because they restricted freedom of movement and were anti-competitive. FIFA then opened a “global dialogue” and on Monday published interim amendments which take effect in time for the January transfer window. They “strike a balanced compromise,” FIFA said in a statement. But global players’ union FIFPRO was against the changes, and accused FIFA of failing to reach consensus. “Following Lassana Diarra’s successful challenge against the legality of Article 17 of the FIFA Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players, FIFPRO informed FIFA of the conditions under which it could negotiate the amendments to the regulations to reflect the ruling,” a union statement said. “Until now, we have been unable to reach a consensus. We do not agree with the temporary measures announced by FIFA which have been introduced without a proper collective bargaining process. “The measures do not provide legal certainty to professional footballers and do not reflect the judgement by the European Court of Justice.” 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
25 December,2024 06:16 AM IST | Zurich | AP | PTIADVERTISEMENT
