Armando Sadiku and Iker Guarrotxena scored a goal each as FC Goa registered back-to-back wins at home as they edged past Punjab FC 2-1 in the Indian Super League (ISL) 2024-25 season at the Fatorda Stadium on Wednesday night. Asmir Suljic handed Punjab FC the early lead before the likes of Sadiku and Guarrotxena registered their names on the scoresheet for Goa to secure their third win of the ongoing season. The visitors took the early initiative in the game with Suljic netting in back-to-back games. Despite a few personnel changes, Panagiotis Dilmperis’ men were quickly off the blocks. They were rewarded for their persistent attacks when Suljic scored in the 13th minute. It was an excellent cross from Nihal Sudheesh, who lost Boris Singh on the left flank before drilling in a low cross. It was intended for Luka Majcen, who left it for the onrushing Suljic which surprised the FC Goa backline. The Bosnian made no mistake in recording the first strike of the night. Also Read: Barcelona rout Red Star Belgrade in Champions League The Gaurs showed great retaliation to the early goal. Their urgency to equalise increased as they pushed bodies forward to support Sadiku. They came close to scoring a couple of times before it all worked out in the 22nd minute when Ayush Chhetri and Sahil Tavora worked out off a tight space in midfield before the latter played it to Iker Guarrotxena in an advanced position. The Spaniard delivered a deft pass to play Sadiku through on goal. With plenty of work to do, the Albanian showed his goal-scoring prowess as he slotted it past Ravi Kumar and a horde of Punjab FC defenders to level the scores. The final quarter of the first half was quite chaotic as both teams were vulnerable in defence. Punjab FC almost had the lead ahead of the break when Suljic combined with Majcen and the latter was through on goal. But FC Goa custodian Hrithik Tiwari stood in the Slovenian’s way. Unlike the first period, it was the hosts, who had the better start to the second half as they took the onus in the 49th minute when Guarrotxena found a way past Ravi Kumar, following a fast counter-attack, to hand FC Goa a crucial lead. The goal forced Dilmperis to increase the attacking panache as he made structural changes to fit in Mushaga Bakenga from the bench. Punjab FC kept pushing for the equaliser to salvage something from the game but Manolo Marqeuz’s men held their lines brilliantly to thwart the danger and register a second successive win in the ISL. After the international break, Punjab FC will return home to face NorthEast United on November 23 whereas FC Goa will be in action when they face Kerala Blasters away from home on November 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
07 November,2024 01:21 PM IST | Margao (Goa) | IANSRobert Lewandowski struck twice as in-form Barcelona thrashed Red Star Belgrade 5-2 to stay in the upper echelons of the Champions League group table on Wednesday. The veteran striker climbed to 99 career goals in the competition, while Inigo Martinez, Raphinha and Fermin Lopez also netted as Barcelona won comfortably in Serbia. After thrashing Bayern Munich 4-1 in their prior European outing, Hansi Flick's side followed that up with a seventh straight victory across all competitions. In that winning run Barcelona have scored at least three times in each game and were similarly lethal at the Rajko Mitic stadium. "Obviously we are doing things very well, and many of them are being seen and reflected in our play, but there are certain things that I can tell you, as a defender, we're suffering in," said Barcelona centre-back Martinez. "When the team drops (in focus) that little bit in the end... if we can improve that, I think we can be a great team and now we can enjoy this victory." Also Read: Revisiting greatest ODI knock: Glenn Maxwell's unbeaten 201 vs Afghanistan Fit again after injury, Frenkie de Jong started a match for the first time since April for Barcelona but Flick mostly selected his regular first choice side. The German coach operates with an extremely high defensive line that has frustrated Bayern Munich and Real Madrid in recent weeks and after four minutes Red Star had a goal ruled out for offside. Timi Elsnik broke in behind the defence and finished but had strayed beyond the last defender. Barcelona took the lead after 13 minutes with Martinez heading home superbly from Raphinha's dangerous free-kick. The Brazilian winger should have scored the second himself but lashed wildly over after a sensational ball from Lamine Yamal sent him racing in on goal, and also hit the post directly from a corner kick. Red Star surprised La Liga leaders Barca by hitting back in the 27th minute when Silas got the better of the offside trap and clipped a finish past the onrushing Inaki Pena. Gerard Martin, starting at left-back in place of Alejandro Balde in a rare rotation from the coach, was to blame for playing the Congolese forward onside. Racking up goals Barcelona nudged their way in front shortly before the break when Lewandowski reacted quickest to finish the rebound after Raphinha's low drive hit the post. The 36-year-old wasted a fine chance to add another when Raphinha teed him up but was able to bundle home his second from point blank range after 53 minutes when Jules Kounde's cross found him. It was the Polish striker's 19th goal of the season in all competitions across 16 matches, and his fifth in four European games. Only former Barcelona great Lionel Messi and Real Madrid icon Cristiano Ronaldo have scored more in the competition's history than Lewandowski, one short of a century. Raphinha stroked home the fourth with a low effort from the edge of the box after more good work by Kounde, with Flick soon bringing him and Pedri off for a rest. Barcelona's 17-year-old centre-back Pau Cubarsi was forced off after sustaining a cut just below his eye from a high boot, on a rare negative note for the Catalans. Kounde completed a hat-trick of assists by cutting the ball back to substitute Fermin Lopez to slot the team's fifth goal past Marko Ilic. Milson pulled another goal back for the hosts with a fine curling finish past Inaki Pena to offer slight consolation to the hosts. Lopez hit the bar with a fine effort of his own in the final stages but despite angling for more, Barcelona finished with five goals for the fourth time this season. 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
07 November,2024 01:17 PM IST | Belgrade | AFPSubstitute Angel Correa scored a dramatic winner with the last kick of the game as Atletico Madrid snatched a 2-1 victory away to Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, kickstarting their Champions League campaign and casting a large cloud over the French club's European hopes. It looked as if the game at the Parc des Princes would end in a draw after Warren Zaire-Emery's early opener for PSG was quickly cancelled out by Nahuel Molina in the first ever meeting of the clubs. PSG have been let down by their finishing in the Champions League all season and that was the case again here as they failed to convert a host of chances, but Atletico did not look like winning it until Correa struck in the 93rd minute. The Spaniards would have been the happier of the two teams with a draw, especially as goalkeeper Jan Oblak had been forced into several second-half saves. Having lost back-to-back matches against Benfica and then Lille, the win puts Atletico back on track to at least make the play-off round of this new-look Champions League, with the league phase now at the halfway stage. "Today PSG played better but we had the extra force that we lacked against Lille," said Atletico coach Diego Simeone. "We came here missing five players, we conceded a goal early on, but the team did not collapse." The evening was also notable for the pre-match unfurling by PSG fans at one end of the stadium of an enormous banner in support of Palestinians in Gaza. "War on the pitch but peace in the world," said the banner, which also featured a Lebanese flag. That may lead to disciplinary action from UEFA, but that will probably be the least of PSG's worries now. Also Read: Who is Olympian Virdhawal Khade, India’s fastest swimmer suspended for misconduct? 'Inexplicable' They may be top of Ligue 1 but in the Champions League last season's semi-finalists have just four points, despite playing three of their four games so far at home. Having edged Girona 1-0 on the opening matchday and then lost 2-0 at Arsenal, the French champions have since drawn at home to PSV Eindhoven and now lost to Atletico. They face a tough assignment next away to Bayern Munich and still have to play Manchester City, meaning their hopes of finishing in the top 24 places and qualifying at least for the play-off round must be in doubt. "Without any doubt," coach Luis Enrique admitted, adding that he felt the defeat was "inexplicable" and "unfair". "I don't think anyone who saw this game could say it was a fair result," he said. "With the run we are on I can't guarantee that we are going to qualify." Luis Enrique's side will need to quickly improve in front of goal having now scored just three times in their last six Champions League matches, a run stretching back to last season's semi-final against Borussia Dortmund. Atletico were missing two key defenders here in Jose Maria Gimenez and Robin Le Normand. Clement Lenglet therefore started at centre-back and he was at fault as PSG went ahead in the 14th minute. Lenglet dithered on the ball in his own box and was dispossessed by Ousmane Dembele. He set up Zaire-Emery and the 18-year-old took his time before coolly clipping the ball over Oblak and in. However, Atletico were level just four minutes later when a ball into the box by Giuliano Simeone came off a PSG defender and fell for Molina to fire in. Atletico were then more than happy to soak up PSG's pressure, and the hosts could not find a second goal despite ending the game with almost 70 percent possession and 22 attempts. Oblak excelled in the second half with notable saves twice from Bradley Barcola, as well as one from a Marquinhos header and another to deny Achraf Hakimi. Then came the third minute of injury time, in which Lee Kang-in was denied by the Atletico goalkeeper and Hakimi failed to convert the follow-up. Atletico then broke downfield and the ball came to Correa who stroked a shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma to leave the PSG fans stunned. 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
07 November,2024 10:11 AM IST | Paris | AFPCristiano Ronaldo helped fire Al Nassr to a crushing 5-1 victory against reigning Asian champions Al Ain in the AFC Champions League Elite on Tuesday. The Portuguese star, without a goal in his past three appearances for the Saudi Arabian side, netted the second of the hosts’ goals at Al Awwal Park in Riyadh. Also Read: Lille, Juventus settle for 1-1 draw Right on the half hour, Al Ain goalkeeper Khalid Essa failed to hold a routine long-range drive from former Liverpool forward Sadio Mane, leaving Ronaldo to pounce on the rebound to tap home. The win maintained Al Nassr’s unbeaten start to the rebranded AFC Champions League Elite, lifting them to third in the 12-team West Asia table. Saudi counterparts Al Hilal and Al Ahli sit above them. The top eight reach the knockout phase. 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
07 November,2024 07:48 AM IST | Riyadh | AFPCanada’s Jonathan David was again on target as Lille continued their good run in this season’s Champions League by holding Juventus to a 1-1 draw in northern France on Tuesday. Having upset the odds to beat both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid in their last two outings, Lille were on course for another famous victory when David put them ahead on 27 minutes. Also Read: Diaz nets hat-trick as Liverpool spoil Alonso’s return to Anfield That was his fourth goal in the Champions League this season, but two-time European champions Juve drew level through a Dusan Vlahovic penalty on the hour mark. Thiago Motta’s Juventus were looking to bounce back from a 0-1 loss at home to VfB Stuttgart in their last outing and are level with Lille on seven points halfway through the league phase. Next up for Juve is a tough trip to Aston Villa and a home game against Manchester City, but one more win for the Italian giants should be enough for them to at least qualify for the play-off round. 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
07 November,2024 07:46 AM IST | Lille (France) | AFPXabi Alonso said his return to Anfield was bittersweet after Liverpool thrashed Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 on Tuesday, thanks to a Luis Diaz hat-trick, to go top of the Champions League table. Cody Gakpo was also on target as the Reds maintained their 100 percent record in Europe after four games. Alonso, a Champions League winner during his playing days in the Liverpool midfield, turned his back on succeeding Jurgen Klopp to remain at Leverkusen after leading them to an unbeaten German league and cup double last season. Also Read: We lack order: Real Madrid boss Ancelotti The Spaniard’s name was chanted by the home support in the closing stages. Liverpool, though, are not left wondering what might have been as Arne Slot continued his stunning start as manager with a 14th win in 16 games in all competitions. “One thing is the game and the other thing was the reception,” said Alonso, who played for the Reds between 2004 and 2009. “I have a bitter feeling but I really appreciate and [I’m] thankful that after so many years I come here and still have that bond with the club. But it would have been nicer with a better result.” Leverkusen remain on seven points from their opening four Champions League matches after another sobering night for their ambitions to match the heights they hit last season. Alonso’s men sit fourth in the Bundesliga, seven points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich, and failed to master what their coach described pre-match as a “beautiful challenge.” 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
07 November,2024 07:44 AM IST | Liverpool | AFPThere were plenty of jeers at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium. Before the match, when the Champions League anthem was played. And after the match, when Real Madrid saw its 15-game unbeaten run at home in the Champions League come to an end. Madrid fans still appeared upset by Vinicius Junior not winning the Ballon d’Or ceremony, and also with yet another poor performance by the team. Madrid followed up its 4-0 loss to Barcelona in the Spanish league “clasico” with a 3-1 defeat against AC Milan in the Champions League, and coach Carlo Ancelotti didn’t hide his concerns. Also Read: ‘We’re in a dark place’ “We need to be worried, we are not showing the best version of ourselves,” Ancelotti said. “We are not compact as a team and we need to change that. We lack order in the team and, as a result, we’re conceding too many goals.” Madrid, the European powerhouse that has a record 15 Champions League titles, has now conceded seven goals in four matches in the competition, with its other loss coming in a 1-0 defeat at Lille. It has trailed in its last three games in the competition, though it rallied to beat Borussia Dortmund 5-2 in its other home game after conceding first. “It’s normal to be worried in this situation,” Ancelotti said. Real, Milan honour Spain flood victims Real Madrid and AC Milan honoured the victims of the deadly floods in Valencia before their Champions League match. Players from both teams entered the field wearing shirts with the words “We are all Valencia,” written in Spanish on Madrid’s kits and in Italian on AC Milan’s. 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
07 November,2024 07:42 AM IST | Mumbai | AP | PTIBernardo Silva admitted Manchester City are in a “dark place” after their shock 1-4 humiliation at Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League, but Pep Guardiola vowed to solve his spluttering side’s problems. Viktor Gyokeres’s hat-trick and a series of costly City misses condemned Guardiola’s men to three successive defeats for the first time since 2018. Also Read: Utd cannot play the way Sporting do: Amorim Bernardo Silva Adding to City’s misery was the sight of Sporting boss Ruben Amorim celebrating a remarkable victory in his final home game before leaving the Portuguese champions to take charge of Manchester United on November 11. Heaviest defeat since 2020 City’s heaviest defeat since 2020 meant, for only the second time in the Guardiola era, they had suffered three consecutive losses in a single season. After making a strong start to the season, the Premier League champions were beaten by Tottenham in the League Cup last week before losing at Bournemouth on Saturday in their first top-flight defeat since December. City’s unexpected malaise comes amid a rash of injuries to key players including Rodri, Ruben Dias, John Stones, Jack Grealish and Kevin De Bruyne, who was only fit enough for a brief substitute appearance at the Jose Alvalade stadium. It was a painful return to Portugal for Lisbon-born Silva, who conceded City are mired in a damaging slump. “It’s disappointing because we’re a bit in a dark place right now. Everything looks to be going in the wrong way,” he said. “Even when we are playing well we don’t score our chances and we concede too easily. We need to get better very quickly otherwise it will be very difficult to come back from these losses. Injured players missed sorely “It’s difficult to find reasons for what is happening to us. It just looks like this team is going the wrong way now. Our injured players need to come back because we need them and it’s just not good enough tonight.” 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
07 November,2024 07:40 AM IST | Lisbon | AFPSporting CP head coach Ruben Amorim enjoyed a thrilling farewell at home with a 4-1 triumph over Manchester City, his last game in charge before stepping into his new role at Manchester United. Reflecting on the resounding win over City, Amorim admitted that this performance was “a dream way” to sign off. Yet, he emphasised that his approach at United would differ significantly. Amorim gave his home fans a night to remember, beating Pep Guardiola’s City with a commanding performance that saw Viktor Gyokeres net a hat-trick and Maximiliano Araujo add a fourth after Phil Foden’s opener for City. Also Read: Sabalenka takes the cake! The result handed City their first Champions League loss of the season, but Amorim is focused on the challenges that lie ahead with United, cautioning that his approach will need to shift in the Premier League. “We cannot transport one reality to another. United cannot play the way we play; they cannot be so defensive. Of course, it’s good to beat City. But I’ll be living in a different world; we’ll have to start from a different point,” Amorim said in the post-match press conference. Before the game, Amorim had playfully suggested that a victory over City could earn him the reputation of “the new Ferguson” among some United supporters. He clarified after the match, “I was playing with words when I said that; I’m not going to read anything for six months,” he joked, hinting at the intense scrutiny that awaits him in England. “I’m going to focus on the team.” 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
07 November,2024 07:39 AM IST | Lisbon | IANSPep Guardiola finds himself in unusual territory as he tries to work out how to turn things around at Manchester City after a surprise slump following eight years of almost unbroken success. City's 4-1 defeat to Sporting Lisbon on Tuesday was a third straight loss for the English champions -- the first time that has happened since 2018. Midfielder Bernardo Silva said the side were in a 'dark place' after the defeats against Tottenham, Bournemouth and Sporting in three different competitions. But Guardiola had a more optimistic outlook, pledging to 'fight and not give up'. Reasons that may have led to City's recent struggles after strong start to the season Injury crisis When Guardiola confirmed in late September that Spain midfielder Rodri would miss the rest of the campaign with an anterior cruciate ligament injury, it felt potentially seismic. City's squad is packed with talent but Rodri is the man who makes them tick -- he is on a personal unbeaten run spanning 52 Premier League fixtures. Last month the 28-year-old won the men's Ballon d'Or award in recognition of his achievements with City and Spain. Guardiola has also been without a clutch of other stars this season. Kevin De Bruyne returned as a late substitute against Lisbon -- his first appearance since mid-September. Oscar Bobb, Ruben Dias, Jack Grealish and John Stones did not travel to Portugal, while other players have also been struggling with injury, including Kyle Walker and Nathan Ake. Silva said before City's match in Portugal that they would "never find excuses" but even a club with their vast resources do not have ready replacements for players of the quality of Rodri and De Bruyne. Lack of hunger? Manchester City have dominated English football for the bulk of the past decade, breaking record after record under Guardiola. They became just the second club to win the Treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup in 2023 and last season became the first club in history to win four straight English top-flight titles. Guardiola's hunger for success appears undiminished and he has transferred that desire to his players, winning the Premier League in six of his eight full seasons at the Etihad. Also Read: Haaland lifts Man City to the top The Catalan said in August that he and his players go into each campaign driven by a desire to get even better despite their remarkable success. "Always you can improve, always you have the desire to individually be better," he said. "I want to be a better manager, and the players want to be better individually." It is easy to exaggerate City's crisis -- they are second in the Premier League and well-placed in the Champions League despite Tuesday's defeat. But any slight drop-off in motivation can prove fatal in the ultra-competitive world of the Premier League. Before Guardiola, only Alex Ferguson, at Manchester United, and Jose Mourinho, at Chelsea, had managed to retain the Premier League title. Off-field issues Are off-field distractions having an impact at City? Guardiola's contract expires at the end of this season and there has long been speculation over whether he will sign a new deal. Recent reports suggest the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss, 53, is likely stay at the Etihad, for another year at least, which would lengthen his reign to a remarkable 10 years. Another off-field issue with huge potential ramifications is the ongoing hearing into more than 100 alleged breaches of the Premier League's financial regulations between 2009 and 2018. City deny any wrongdoing and have said they have a "comprehensive body of irrefutable evidence" to clear their name. But if they are found guilty, they could face a range of punishments including a severe points penalty or even expulsion from the Premier League. The hearing started in mid-September but the verdict of the independent commission is not likely to come before 2025. Guardiola has been bullish in his defence of City, referring to his deep bond with the club, but he must be desperate to shed the unwanted distractions. (With agency inputs)
06 November,2024 06:37 PM IST | London | mid-day online correspondentChampions League holders Real Madrid fell to a 3-1 home defeat by AC Milan on Tuesday in the group stage with striker Kylian Mbappe unable to find the net again. The 25-year-old France captain has scored once in his last six matches for Madrid across all competitions, including three losses for Los Blancos. Malick Thiaw headed the Italian side ahead before Vinicius Junior levelled from the penalty spot for the hosts. Alvaro Morata struck against his former side to restore Milan's lead before the break and Tijjani Reijnders netted the third to secure Milan's victory. Madrid were unable to bounce back strongly from the 4-0 thrashing by Barcelona in late October, their last outing after Saturday's La Liga match at Valencia was postponed because of devastating floods in the east of Spain. Players from both sides wore t-shirts before the match reading "We are all Valencia" while in one stand a giant Valencia regional flag was unfurled for a minute's silence. In the 90 minutes that followed, Paulo Fonseca's Milan, seventh in Serie A, outclassed Madrid. "We are going through a period when our opponents are punishing us a lot and we have to keep working so that this doesn't happen again," Madrid defender Lucas Vazquez told Movistar. Los Blancos have let in nine goals in their last three home matches. "We have to be worried, the team's not giving a good account of itself," said Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti. "The team is not compact, we have to be more compact, more organised, we've let in a lot of goals... we're not well organised on the pitch and we have to work on that." Real Madrid's French forward Kylian Mbappe (CL) and Real Madrid's Spanish defender Lucas Vazquez (CR) react after AC Milan scored a goal during the UEFA Champions League, league phase day 4 football match between Real Madrid CF and AC Milan at the Santiago Bernabeu stadium in Madrid. Pic/AFP Milan have won the competition seven times, behind only record 15-time champions Madrid, but have not reached a final since 2007, when Ancelotti led them to the trophy. This victory harked back to their glory days and Fonseca praised his team's bravery. "The players came here with courage, didn't have any fear... in the first half we created plenty and in the second half we were on the back foot, but we fought together," said the Portuguese coach. "We definitely deserved to win." Ancelotti, who won the Champions League twice as a player and then twice as a coach with Milan, only made one change from the Clasico humiliation, bringing in Luka Modric for Eduardo Camavinga. Madrid fell behind in the 12th minute. Thiaw's near-post header from a corner flew past the helpless Andriy Lunin to earn the Serie A side the lead. Mike Maignan saved from Mbappe at the other end as Madrid hit back, with Vinicius winning a penalty as he fell under a clumsy tackle from Emerson Royal. The Brazilian, who finished as runner-up in last week's Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris when he had been favourite to win, coolly dispatched it with a cheeky dinked Panenka effort. '11 lions' Milan regained the lead in the 39th minute through former Madrid striker Morata, who reacted quickly to fire home after Lunin saved from Rafael Leao. Mbappe, yet to find top form in a Madrid shirt since his move from Paris Saint-Germain and particularly frustrated in the Barcelona defeat, broke in again before half-time but Maignan saved his low effort. Ancelotti took action at half-time, bringing on Camavinga and Brahim Diaz, and it opened up the second half for an end-to-end affair. Lunin made a superb flying save from Leao's header before the winger set up Reijnders at the end of a superb solo run to turn home for Milan's third. Antonio Rudiger smashed home but was offside and Maignan denied Diaz with a fine late save, killing any Madrid hopes of a classic European comeback. Madrid have now lost two of their four matches and are in the middle of the table, provisionally 17th, one place above Milan. Their next Champions League match is at Anfield against Liverpool, by when Ancelotti will hope to have solved some of his team's growing problems. Morata thought his team's work-rate was crucial to their impressive victory in the Spanish capital. "It was important for us to know the value we have and that when we are 11 lions on the pitch, it is very difficult for a team to beat us," 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
06 November,2024 03:58 PM IST | Madrid | AFPADVERTISEMENT
