Month: November 2021

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WESTHAM BOOK PLACE IN EUROPA LEAGUE LAST 16 WITH WIN AT RAPID VIENNA

West Ham waltzed into the last 16 of the Europa League with a game to spare after a 2-0 victory at Rapid Vienna.

First-half goals from Andriy Yarmolenko and Mark Noble wrapped up top spot in Group H for David Moyes’ side.

It was an important victory for the Hammers as they are now straight through to the knockout stage having avoided a play-off in February against a team dropping from the Champions League.

Moyes was even able to make eight changes to his side, resting the likes of Declan Rice and Michail Antonio, and still comfortably get the job done.

With Vienna in a new coronavirus lockdown the match was played in an empty stadium, with Rapid unable to call on their boisterous fans to lift them, and West Ham simply had too much class.

They almost got off to the perfect start when Arthur Masuaku drove a low cross into the box for the sliding Jarrod Bowen to poke just wide after five minutes.

Nikola Vlasic and Yarmolenko both fired narrowly over in a bright opening from the visitors.

The only moment of mild alarm came when Kelvin Arase weaved into a shooting position, and his effort was saved by back-up keeper Alphonse Areola on his way to a fifth clean sheet in six appearances for the Hammers.

Their dominance finally told six minutes before half-time when Vlasic crossed from the left and Yarmolenko was left with a simple header back across goal.

It was a first Hammers goal since January for the Ukraine international, who has played only 52 minutes in the Premier League this season.

Yarmolenko had a big hand in the second goal in first-half stoppage time after he turned Rapid skipper Maximilian Hofmann in the area and was brought down.

Captain Noble, a man clearly relishing this European adventure in his 18th and final season at the club, made no mistake from the spot.

After the break Bowen’s quick feet in the area accounted for three defenders, but his shot was straight at Rapid goalkeeper Paul Gartler.

Gartler also denied Tomas Soucek before Bowen’s follow-up was blocked on the line.

Teenage striker Sonny Perkins came on as a substitute for his Hammers debut and almost marked it with a goal when he met Vladimir Coufal’s cross with a fine header, but Gartler made a stunning reflex save and West Ham had to settle for two.

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JERMAINE DEFOE RELIEVED FROM COACHING DUTIES AT RANGERS BY VAN BRONCKHORST

Giovanni van Bronckhorst has removed Jermain Defoe from coaching duties at Rangers – but stressed the veteran striker can still play a vital on-field role this season.

Defoe signed a 12-month player-coach contract during the summer to stay at Ibrox under Steven Gerrard’s management.

However, the 39-year-old had played only eight minutes of first-team action prior to being introduced from the bench by Van Bronckhorst in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Livingston.

The new Ibrox boss has brought in former Holland and Bayern Munich striker Roy Makaay as part of his coaching team, which would limit Defoe’s training ground involvement.

Van Bronckhorst instead expects the ex-England international to have opportunities to add to his 32 goals for Rangers since joining the club in 2019.

‘He’s been really good,’ the Ibrox boss said of Defoe. ‘When I came here, of course he was part of the coaching staff but also a player.

‘He’s also busy with his training badges, which is really good because we’ve already started thinking about team processes and tactical possibilities

‘But, for now, Jermain is still a player and we’ll use him only as a player. The quality he has is sometimes needed in games.

‘Of course, Kemar (Roofe) has been out for the last two games. Jermain couldn’t play in Europe because he wasn’t eligible but I think he can still have an important role this season.’

Roofe last played for Rangers on November 7, but Van Bronckhorst is optimistic he might be able to figure in his plans for tomorrow’s trip to Easter Road.

‘I think we don’t have any other injuries for tomorrow,’ he said. ‘Everyone came out of the (Livingston) game really good.

‘Kemar Roofe was on the training pitch today so we will assess him tomorrow and maybe he can be part of the squad on Wednesday.’

Van Bronckhorst also hopes Filip Helander will be restored to his plans in the weeks ahead. Out since undergoing knee surgery in September, the Sweden defender is gradually stepping up his recovery programme.

‘Filip is outside on the pitch again, so we have to slowly bring him back to fitness levels required to play games,’ said the Rangers boss

‘Hopefully, we expect him to take part in training some time this month. He’s been an important player for the team and, with him being fit, I have more options for the back.’

With Leon Balogun also out injured, young left-back Calvin Bassey moved inside to join Connor Goldson at centre-back for the wins over Sparta and Livingston and is likely to continue in that role at Easter Road.

‘I’ve been really impressed,’ added Van Bronckhorst. ‘He’s a really talented defender. Normally he plays in the left-back position but doesn’t have much experience in the centre back area. So I’m really happy with his performances so far.

‘I think he has the physical ability to play there. We will help him a lot in that position, when he has to pass, when he has to dribble, the positioning he has to take when the other defender has got the ball.

‘He’s a player who is very open to learning and he gives a lot of energy to the team. The last two games, I’m really happy with the way he played.’

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CELTIC’S EUROPA LEAGUE HOPES ENDED BY DEFEAT TO BAYER LEVERKUSEN

Celtic’s hopes of progressing in the Europa League were dashed in agonising fashion as a late fightback from Bayer Leverkusen denied them a famous victory in Germany.

Ange Postecoglou’s spirited side knew they would probably require a win to keep their last-32 dream alive and they were on course for this outcome until the closing stages after a Josip Juranovic penalty and a strike from Jota cancelled out Robert Andrich’s early goal for the hosts.

However, Leverkusen hit back twice in the closing eight minutes to win 3-2 and top the group.

The result means Celtic will drop into the Conference League after Christmas, with Real Betis going through in the Europa League as runners-up.

Celtic made one change to the side that defeated St Johnstone in last weekend’s Premier Sports Cup semi-final, with Hampden goal hero James Forrest coming in for his first start in more than three months in place of Liel Abada.

The Germans signalled their intent in the 10th minute when Andrich headed over from a Florian Wirtz corner.

Celtic were looking reasonably comfortable in the early stages, although Cameron Carter-Vickers had to make a vital clearance from inside his own six-yard box when former Hoops right-back Jeremie Frimpong darted into the box and drilled a dangerous low ball across the face of goal in the 12th minute.

The visitors failed to heed the warning from Leverkusen’s earlier corner, and they fell behind in the 16th minute when Andrich got in front of Stephen Welsh to head in another Wirtz delivery.

Celtic had a rare foray forward in the 35th minute which resulted in David Turnbull threading a through ball in behind for Kyogo Furuhashi but the offside flag was raised as the Japanese attacker burst into the box and fired a low angled shot just behind the far post.

Having been pegged back for long periods of the match, the visitors got themselves level in the 39th minute with a penalty awarded following a VAR review after Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky clattered recklessly into Kyogo while trying to defend a cross into the box from Jota.

Hradecky was booked and Juranovic produced an outrageously nonchalant finish as he chipped a Panenka-style spot-kick in off the underside of the crossbar.

Juranovic was fortunate to get away with a lapse in the 44th minute when he gave the ball away cheaply just outside his area allowing Moussa Diaby to fire a powerful angled half-volley off the junction of post and bar before Wirtz sent the rebound crashing against the opposite post.

Celtic had another major let-off eight minutes after the break when Joe Hart made a brilliant double save to deny Diaby and then Amine Adli.

Remarkably, Celtic took the lead in the 56th minute when Jota drilled in a clinical low angled shot from just inside the box after being teed up by Kyogo following some brilliant play by Forrest and Nir Bitton.

Hart made a couple of saves to deny Adli as the Scots started to believe they might be closing in on their first victory in Germany.

But Andrich dashed their hopes in the 82nd minute when he drilled a low shot through the legs of Hart from 12 yards out after being set up by substitute Nadiem Amiri.

And the hosts claimed victory in the 87th minute when Diaby volleyed home after being picked out by a chipped pass from Wirtz.

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AC MILAN LATE GOAL SINK ATLETICO AND KEEP LAST 16 HOPES ALIVE

A stunning header from substitute Junior Messias in the dying minutes handed AC Milan a 1-0 win over Atletico Madrid and kept alive their hopes of qualifying for the last-16 in the Champions League on Wednesday.

Milan arrived in Madrid rooted to the bottom of Group B with only one point and anything but a win against Atletico would have eliminated them from this season’s competition.

Wednesday’s result means the race to see who will join group winners Liverpool in the next round will go down to the wire. Porto, who are on five points, as well as Milan and Atletico, who are tied on four points, will have to wait until the final round of fixtures to decide who will finish second, and progress to the last 16.

Milan will host Liverpool while Atletico will travel to Porto on Dec. 7 for the final Group B fixtures.

On a freezing night in Madrid, a packed crowd at the Metropolitano Stadium failed to spur on Atletico, who struggled to make any kind of impact against a Milan side who showed urgency and aggression.

Brazilian Messias, who has completed a remarkable journey from working as a delivery driver and playing amateur football before slowly climbing the ladder , broke the deadlock in the 87th minute with a spectacular header after latching on to a perfect cross from Franck Kessie.

“They studied us really well and our gameplan didn’t work,” Atletico striker Antoine Griezmann told reporters.

“The Champions League is very difficult and Milan were superior in every aspect. We have to work, to get better…”

Milan controlled the game from the beginning, despite manager Stefano Pioli springing a surprise by starting Zlatan Ibrahimovic on the bench after he scored two goals against Fiorentina on Saturday.

The Swedish striker came on in the second half and almost scored a second goal in stoppage time, appealing unsuccessfully for a penalty after being caught by keeper Jan Oblak when he was about to shoot.

Atletico will finish the group stage having won none of their three home games, after losing to Milan and Liverpool and drawing with Porto.

“The Champions League does not forgive,” Atletico Madrid manager Diego Simeone said.

“You only go through when you deserve to.”

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UCL: REAL MADRID EXACT REVENGE ON SHERIFF

Real Madrid CF approached Matchday 5 of the UEFA Champions League with a major grudge to settle. They did just that on Wednesday evening when they executed a flawless performance to win 3-0 over Sheriff Tiraspol at Sheriff Stadium.

It may be remembered that the two sides met earlier in the Group Stage where the Champions League

newcomers shockingly defeated the 13-time European Champions 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium.

It was humiliating as much as it was shocking for Los Blancos, and they needed last night’s victory to get their pride back. The decisive win was achieved thanks to goals from David Alaba, Toni Kroos and Karim Benzema. Manager Carlo Ancelotti know how important it was to come away with three points and he did not hold back and brought in all of his trusted soldiers in the starting XI.

David Alaba continues to prove that he is a real gem of a signing after his free kick remained unbeatable for Sheriff goalkeeper Giorgos Athanasiadis. The former Bayern Munich

star drew first blood and gave the visitors a firm grasp on the momentum of the match.

The Spanish giants went into the half-time break just after Toni Kroos doubled the lead via a sublime goal off the crossbar struck with his right boot. The second half was no different, with Real Madrid driving the nail down even further with a Karim Benzema goal fed by Ferland Mendy.

At this point, Ancelotti started to make changes. He took off Alaba, who appeared to have picked up a knock and brought in Nacho. Then, he made more changes at the back with Marcelo coming in for Mendy, followed by Lucas Vazquez for Dani Carvajal.

Sheriff may have been beaten decisively, but to be fair they did not really just roll over. An attempt by Adama Traore forced Thibaut Courtois to make a save midway through the second half, but apart from another attempt that hit the post, they were mostly neutralised.


Now with 12 points in the bag with only one Group stage fixture remaining, Real Madrid are guaranteed to advance into the knockout stage which begins in February. However, they still have to face Italian side Inter Milan to determine the Group D winner.

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MANCHESTER CITY COME FROM BEHIND TO BEAT PSG TO REACH LAST 16

Raheem Sterling and Gabriel Jesus struck as Manchester City came from behind to sink Paris St Germain 2-1 and reach the Champions League last 16.

The Premier League champions produced a superb response after falling behind to a goal from Kylian Mbappe against the run of play early in the second half at the Etihad Stadium.

Sterling levelled just after the hour and substitute Jesus popped up to claim a winner 14 minutes from time that also confirmed City as winners of Group A.

It was a disappointing night in Manchester for PSG boss Mauricio Pochettino in a week that has seen him heavily linked with the managerial vacancy across the city at United.

Yet City’s victory was thoroughly deserved as, despite lacking three of their most inventive players in Kevin De Bruyne, Jack Grealish and Phil Foden, they produced an energetic and dominant display.

PSG’s much-vaunted forward trio of Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Neymar were also denied the chance to wreak havoc by City’s disciplined defence.

There was still some consolation for PSG, however, with Leipzig’s victory over Club Brugge meaning the French side would still go through.

City had early opportunities when Rodri’s powerful header was cleared off the line by Presnel Kimpembe and Riyad Mahrez fired into the side-netting.

Mahrez went even closer with a curling effort that looked destined for the top corner but Achraf Hakimi did brilliantly to get back and divert the ball over the crossbar.

Ander Herrera almost turned the ball into his own net as he stretched to intercept a Bernardo Silva cross but Keylor Navas saved, as he did again shortly afterwards to keep out another Mahrez attempt.

As the first half drew to a close, City were completely dominant and at their fluid best but the ball would still not go in. Ilkay Gundogan hit a post, although a flag suggested it may not have counted.

PSG were restricted to occasional counter-attacks but Neymar and Nuno Mendes both failed to get any power behind shots.

Mbappe, who overcame a fitness test to start, had their clearest chance but leant back and blazed over after being played through by Neymar.

The World Cup-winning striker made amends for that miss five minutes into the second half as the visitors suddenly burst into life.

Messi and Neymar were both involved in a slick attack but a deflection off a City defender presented Mbappe with a chance he did not waste, firing through Ederson’s legs.

PSG immediately went looking for more but Ruben Dias blocked from Messi and another promising attack was also snuffed out.

City manager Pep Guardiola responded by sending on Jesus for Oleksandr Zinchenko and the hosts were soon back in the ascendancy with Navas sticking out a glove to deny Mahrez.

Pressure paid off just after the hour as Rodri’s deep cross into the box was cut back by Kyle Walker and Sterling poked home after a deflection off Jesus.

PSG almost hit back as Neymar played a clever one-two with Angel Di Maria but shot wide.

City made them pay for that miss by claiming the lead 14 minutes from time.
Mahrez picked out Silva with a deep ball into the box and the Portuguese neatly laid off for Jesus to turn home first time.

It was enough to ensure City, last season’s runners-up, will be in the knockout stages for a ninth successive year.

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UCL: LIVERPOOL MAINTAIN PERFECT RECORD WITH WIN OVER PORTO

Midfielder Thiago Alcantara swept away 14 months of frustration with one swing of his cultured right foot to set Liverpool on the way to a 2-0 victory over Porto and a record Champions League group stage points haul.

The Spain midfielder’s sweetly-struck low half-volley early in the second half was worthy of winning any game and the fact it came in a dead-rubber having already qualified for the last 16 should not diminish the quality of the goal.

Mohamed Salah scored for the fourth time in three meetings against this opposition to take his personal Champions League tally to 32 with Steven Gerrard’s European record of 41 well within his sights.

But while the Egypt international has shone for the entire time he has been at Anfield it has been a less successful time for Thiago.

However, when it came his goal was nothing less than could be expected of the playmaker, whose arrival from Bayern Munich in a £20million deal in the summer of 2020 was hailed as being the signing to take Jurgen Klopp’s side to the next level.

He endured a mixed start to his Anfield career, contracting Covid-19 shortly after arriving and then missing almost three months with a knee injury sustained in his first Merseyside derby.

This, though, was one of his better days as he gradually warmed to the occasion after a side showing four outfield changes – including two in the back four – from Saturday’s victory over Arsenal struggled for cohesion.

Thiago began to find his range midway through the first half and his perfectly-weighted pass to pick out Sadio Mane to run through and slide a shot across Diogo Costa appeared to have made the breakthrough only for VAR to rule it out by the tightest of offside margins.

That was merely an appetiser as he saved his best of the night for in front of the Kop, caressing a 25-yard shot past Costa after Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain’s free-kick was only half-cleared.

While the 30-year-old Thiago was impressing a fellow midfielder 11 years his junior was enjoying his Champions League debut.

Five days after his first Premier League appearance, academy graduate Tyler Morton slotted in between the Spaniard and Oxlade-Chamberlain and showed he could do a job at this level with some important defensive work, with one back-tracking run into the penalty area cutting out a dangerous cross at 0-0.

Klopp’s changes did not help their early cohesion and Porto, with much more to play for, immediately seized the initiative but failed to take advantage due to some poor finishing and good defensive work from Morton and Oxlade-Chamberlain.

Mehdi Taremi’s header was deflected wide but Otavio will still be wondering how he side-footed when faced with an open goal after Evanilson broke clear down the left.

Not much was going right at the other end for Liverpool either as when Costa’s hurried clearance rebounded off Mane Salah was unable to get enough power on his shot to trouble the goalkeeper.

The loss of experienced defender Pepe, who made his competitive debut before Morton was even born, to injury afforded the hosts an opening but VAR denied them the lead.

Porto’s profligacy continued in the second half with Matheus Uribe shooting wide from a corner and it was the last real sight of goal they got as although the breakthrough was 52 minutes in arriving it was more than worth the wait.

Takumi Minamino had a volley ruled out for offside but there was no denying Salah, who cut in from the left to score a trademark goal this time with a shot inside the near post.

It was his sixth of the group stage, equalling Roberto Firmino’s record from 2017-18 – with still one match to go.

In adding a second Liverpool became the first English top-flight side in 82 years to score two or more goals in 16 consecutive matches.

Victory also brought up 15 points – beating their previous best of 14 set in 2008-09 – as they remain on course to be the first English side to win all six group games.

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QATAR DETAINS 2 NORWAY JOURNALISTS AMID WORLD CUP COVERAGE

Security forces in Qatar detained two journalists from Norwegian state television for over 30 hours and deleted footage they gathered at a migrant labor camp as they tried to report on worker issues ahead of the FIFA 2022 World Cup, authorities said Wednesday. Qatar’s government accused NRK journalists Halvor Ekeland and Lokman Ghorbani of “trespassing on private property and filming without a permit” as the two returned Wednesday to Norway following their arrest.

The journalists contended they had verbal permission from those they filmed there. The arrests sparked a diplomatic dispute between Norway and Qatar. Norwegian news agency NTB reported that the Qatari ambassador to the country was summoned to Oslo’s foreign ministry over the matter.

Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere called the arrests “unacceptable.” “A free press is crucial in a functioning democracy,” Gahr Stoere wrote on Twitter. “This also shows the importance of this year’s awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize (to journalists). I am very happy that Halvor Ekeland and Lokman Ghorbani have now been released.”

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KARIM BENZEMA HANDED ONE YEAR SUSPENDED JAIL SENTENCE FOR SEX-TAPE CASE

France and Real Madrid forward Karim Benzema was given a one-year suspended jail sentence and a fine of 75,000 euros ($84,000) Wednesday in a sex-tape case that rocked French soccer.

Benzema was found guilty of being involved in an attempt in 2015 to blackmail France teammate Mathieu Valbuena.

The Versailles court decision is unlikely to affect Benzema’s immediate sporting future. The forward is regarded as one of the favorites to win the Ballon d’Or award on Nov. 29 in Paris following an impressive season with Madrid. French federation president Noel Le Great has already said Benzema would be allowed to keep playing with France even if found guilty.

Benzema’s lawyers said he will appeal.

Benzema, who denied wrongdoing, didn’t attend the trial in Versailles last month and was absent for the verdict. The four other defendants were also found guilty and did not appear at the court Wednesday.

Prosecutors had asked that Benzema be fined 75,000 euros, the maximum allowed on the charge, and be given a suspended 10-month jail term if found guilty.

Benzema was charged with complicity in the blackmail attempt over a sex tape thought to have been stolen from Valbuena’s mobile phone.

After preliminary charges in November 2015, Benzema was dropped from France’s national team by coach Didier Deschamps. That resulted in Benzema missing the 2016 European Championship, and also the 2018 World Cup which was won by France.

Deschamps recalled Benzema ahead of the delayed Euro 2020 tournament and has since fielded him regularly.

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LEWANDOWSKI SUPER GOAL HELP COVID-INFESTED BAYERN EDGE DYNAMO KIEV

Bayern Munich, missing half a dozen players to COVID-19 quarantine, edged past Dynamo Kiev 2-1 on Tuesday to secure top spot in Champions League Group E with a game to spare.

First-half goals from striker Robert Lewandowski, who struck with a spectacular 14th-minute overhead kick, and Kingsley Coman three minutes from halftime and amid heavy snowfall, put the German champions in front.

Dynamo, who are now eliminated from the competition, cut the deficit with their maiden group-stage goal through Denys Garmash in the 70th minute.

They then forced Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer to make a fine save in the 75th and hit the post in stoppage time as they looked for an equaliser with a strong finish.

The Bavarians, desperate to bounce back from Friday’s shock 2-1 loss to Augsburg in the Bundesliga, top the group on 15 points with five wins from five games. They are also unbeaten in a record-extending 21 consecutive Champions League away games.

Barcelona, who face Benfica later, are in second place on six points and the Portuguese side are third on four, with Dynamo bottom on one point.

“It was maybe not our best performance but overall we are satisfied with the Champions League so far with five wins for five games and 15 points,” Neuer said.

“It was important to focus on the task today and put all the other issues aside,” he added, referring to an ongoing debate over the vaccination of players.

“But that is not that easy when you have a different squad with players who would normally not start.”

Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann’s options were extremely limited with only four outfield players on the bench but Lewandowski, who has now scored in each of his last nine Champions League appearances, struck with the first chance of the game.

A cross into the box bounced awkwardly off a Dynamo defender, and the Polish striker connected with an acrobatic bicycle kick.

The hosts almost scored an equaliser when Neuer attempted to clear a ball in the box but miskicked, sending it bouncing onto the post and wide.

Instead, Coman doubled their lead three minutes before halftime, drilling in from a Corentin Tolisso cross that Lewandowski let slip through his legs.

Neuer made amends for his earlier mistake with a double save to stop Mykola Shaparenko two minutes after the restart to protect their two-goal lead, but he was beaten when Garmash slotted the ball through the keeper’s legs for 2-1. Dynamo were the stronger side in the closing minutes and kept Neuer busy before Viktor Tsygankov struck the post with a long range effort in stoppage time.