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INTER MILAN DUMP ROMA OUT OF ITALIAN CUP ON JOSE MOURINHO’S RETURN

Inter Milan marked the return of Jose Mourinho to the San Siro on Tuesday by dumping their idol’s new team Roma out of the Italian Cup 2-0 and reaching the semi-finals. Mourinho coached in front of an Inter home crowd for the first time since leaving in 2010 but after being warmly welcomed back by supporters in Milan Roma limply exited the competition thanks to a goal almost straight from kick-off by Edin Dzeko and Alexis Sanchez’s second-half pile-driver.

The win for Inter, who will meet either AC Milan or Lazio in the last four with those sides facing each other on Wednesday, was the perfect response to losing the derby on Saturday, the tempestuous aftermath of which has led to coach Simone Inzaghi being suspended for the weekend’s huge clash at fellow Serie A title chasers Napoli.

Portuguese Mourinho is a footballing deity for Inter fans thanks to two magical seasons on the Nerazzurri bench which culminated with the treble triumph of Serie A, the Italian Cup and most importantly the Champions League.

He beat Roma to the league title and cup in a battle of former Chelsea managers with Claudio Ranieri, only seeing off his Blues predecessor to the championship on the final day of the 2009-10 season.

“I won’t ever hide that my relationship with Inter is one that will last forever. But I came here to win for Roma and my supporters who today are the Roma supporters.” said Mourinho.

“We didn’t win but apart from the first five minutes I saw a Roma team play well against a team against whom it’s not easy to play well.”

The fans present at the San Siro — in much lower numbers than for the derby — made their feelings very clear about their former boss of bosses.

The hardcore supporters in the Curva Nord unfurled a banner which read “Welcome home Jose” and chanted his name throughout the build-up to kick-off.

Once the teams came out the applause for the home fans hero spread around the stadium, and Mourinho responded by waving and blowing kisses to all four corners of the ground.

Supporters even booed referee Marco Di Bello when he booked Mourinho for protesting at the end of the first half.

With the match underway the Inter players were in no mood to do Mourinho any favours, with Roma old boy Dzeko placing home a beautiful volley from Ivan Perisic’s cross with just over a minute on the clock.

Nicolo Barella then crashed a long-rage drive off the bar before Milan Skriniar headed straight at Rui Patricio from point blank range.

Roma then woke up and after a Rick Karsdorp cross was diverted onto the bar, Nicolo Zaniolo wasted a great chance to level the scores, shooting straight at Samir Handanovic when put one-on-one by Tammy Abraham.

The contest then turned scrappy and not long before the break a tearful Alessandro Bastoni was carried off the pitch after going over on his right ankle, with Inter later saying the defender had twisted it.

Handanovic and Patricio both pulled off impressive stops from distance efforts from Sergio Oliveira and Barella just after the hour mark, but Patricio could do nothing to keep out Sanchez’s rocket which ended the tie in the 68th minute.

All that was left for the Inter fans was to belt out Mourinho’s name one last time and look ahead to a massive week which as well as Napoli away includes the Champions League visit of Liverpool.

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MANCHESTER UNITED HELD BY BURNLEY AS JAY RODRIGUEZ ENDS GOAL DROUGHT

Manchester United dropped out of the top four as Jay Rodriguez’s 100th career league goal – and first in 50 games – earned relegation-battling Burnley a well-deserved 1-1 draw at Turf Moor.

United dominated the first half as Paul Pogba, making his first Premier League start since his red card in the 5-0 capitulation to Liverpool in October, showed flashes of his brilliant best and fired the visitors in front with 18 minutes gone.

It was one of three times United had the ball in the Burnley net in the first half, with the other two ruled out, but momentum shifted radically in the second half after Rodriguez levelled in the 47th minute with the hosts then squandering chances to win it.

Sean Dyche will see it as a hugely encouraging point but will also know his side must soon find a way to accumulate them in threes if they are to survive – Newcastle’s win over Everton meant the gap to safety increased on the night to four points.

Ralf Rangnick left Cristiano Ronaldo on the bench in favour of Edinson Cavani, and pointedly said the decision was made because of the need to chase down Burnley and battle for second balls.

Dyche had promised to make it awkward for the visitors but, on the night that Burnley celebrated their 5,000th professional league game, they struggled to keep his word in the first half – allowing United too much time and space while gifting them possession.

The visitors had the ball in the net with 12 minutes gone at Turf Moor. Mike Dean blew for what was a soft foul at best on Pogba, and Bruno Fernandes whipped in the ball for Raphael Varane to head in at the far post.

United celebrated what they thought was a first goal from a set-piece this season but Dean was advised to check the pitch-side monitor. Though Varane was on, the goal was eventually ruled out as a clearly offside Harry Maguire had barged into Rodriguez as the ball came in.

It was only a temporary reprieve for Burnley. Six minutes later, Pogba left no room for debate as he thumped the ball high into the net from Luke Shaw’s pull-back after Burnley had allowed Marcus Rashford far too much space down the left.

The ball was in Burnley’s net again moments later as Ashley Westwood inadvertently poked home Rashford’s low cross, but it was quickly ruled out for a foul by Pogba on Erik Pieters in the build-up.

Burnley were left exposed down the right time after time, but United could not capitalise as the best of the chances was headed straight at Pope by Cavani.

Everything changed after the break. Burnley, whose last home league goal against United came back in 2009, did not have a shot in the first half but needed only two minutes of the second to level.

Weghorst did well to wriggle free of two defenders before turning and playing in Rodriguez, who held off Maguire before firing under David De Gea for his first league goal in 360 days.

The atmosphere changed in a moment, and Weghorst brought a fine save out of De Gea with a powerful strike from 20 yards before Pieters flashed a volley narrowly wide from the resulting corner.

United’s problems continued as Rodriguez span around Maguire, who hauled him back and was grateful to see only a yellow card.

After seeing Connor Roberts blaze over another decent chance, Rangnick sent for Ronaldo in the 67th minute.

United slowly regained some initiative – Varane’s cute drag-back was blocked by Mee in the 79th minute before Ronaldo headed over – but Burnley defended doggedly, roared on by Turf Moor, as they restored some faith after Saturday’s drab goalless draw with Watford.

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KURT ZOUMA BOOED OVER CAT-KICKING VIDEO AS WESTHAM BEAT WATFORD 1-0

Kurt Zouma got a first taste of the public outcry towards his cat-kicking shame as West Ham beat Watford 1-0.

Jarrod Bowen’s second-half goal secured a much-needed victory for the top-four hopefuls, but the main talking point was the controversial inclusion of Zouma.

The French defender was named in the starting line-up despite a police enquiry into a video showing him dropping, kicking and slapping his pet cat, and despite the club insisting that it “unreservedly condemns the actions of our player”.

Watford’s visiting fans were quick to make their feelings clear by relentlessly booing Zouma’s every touch and chanting, among other things, ‘RSPCA, RSPCA’.

Former West Ham players Joe Cole and James Collins, at the match working as pundits, felt the club had made a mistake in refusing to drop the 27-year-old.

Cole told BT Sport “I think it’s a miscalculation by the club. He could have sat this one out,” while Collins said on BBC Radio 5 Live: “I think there is a lot of anger and rightly so. I personally don’t think it is the right call.”

Yet despite the widespread revulsion towards the disturbing footage, Hammers manager David Moyes stuck with Zouma “because he is one of our better players”.

Moyes added on BT Sport before the match: “It is certainly ongoing and the club are dealing with it, so that is a separate matter.”

The priority for Moyes was clearly getting West Ham’s Champions League challenge back on track after successive defeats but it felt like he really had not read the room, especially as an online petition calling on Zouma to be “prosecuted for animal cruelty” had attracted 25,000 signatures by the time the match kicked off.

Relegation-threatened Watford arrived at the London Stadium fresh from a first clean sheet of the season in a goalless draw at Burnley in Roy Hodgson’s first game in charge.

They almost took an early lead when Juraj Kucka headed Hassane Kamara’s cross narrowly wide.

West Ham should have gone ahead shortly before half-time when Bowen’s clever reverse pass found Said Benrahma eight yards out. After Benrahma’s initial shot was blocked by Hornets keeper Ben Foster, the Algeria international crashed the rebound against the outside of the post.

The goal came after 68 minutes with Watford standing off Bowen as he drove through the centre.

The England hopeful’s low shot clipped the heel of Hornets defender Samir, sending Foster the wrong way as the ball trickled into the net.

Watford’s best chance to equalise fell to Kucka, who was teed up by Joshua King 15 yards out but blazed his effort over the crossbar.

Bowen almost doubled the advantage with six minutes remaining but Foster tipped his curler onto the post.

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NOTTINGHAM FOREST STUN FA CUP HOLDERS LEICESTER IN DERBY-DAY DRUBBING

Nottingham Forest ran riot to dump holders Leicester out of the FA Cup.

The Reds demolished last season’s winners 4-1 at the City Ground after three goals in nine first-half minutes.

Philip Zinckernagel and Brennan Johnson scored twice in barely a minute before Joe Worrall made it 3-0.

Kelechi Iheanacho pounced on Brice Samba’s mistake but Djed Spence added a fourth in the second half to wrap up a dominant win.

Under Steve Cooper Forest have lost just four of 23 games, winning 13, but against their East Midlands rivals this will be the most satisfying.

A swashbuckling, intense and stylish display continued their upward trajectory with the former Swansea boss, who has taken them from relegation candidates to promotion hopefuls in just five months.

They can add FA Cup specialists to that list now too having already dumped out Arsenal. A home fifth-round tie with Huddersfield will have the locals dreaming of a first quarter-final since 1996.

The City Ground is now a place of hope, rather than one relying on its history, while Leicester’s season continues to unravel.

In the space of 11 games the Foxes have gone out of the Europa League, the Carabao Cup, the FA Cup and seen the gap to the top six grow from two points to 10.

Success in the Europa Conference League appears to be their best hope of European football next term but Brendan Rodgers has growing problems.

Not least in defence, which folded again after Leicester appeared to have settled at the City Ground.

Iheanacho and Ademola Lookman threatened early yet it was a false dawn as Forest blew them away in a devastating nine-minute spell.

Keinan Davis had already crashed a volley off the bar before Forest snatched two goals in just 87 seconds.

It was Johnson who was crucial to underline his importance to the hosts, who resisted January interest from Brentford.

First, after 23 minutes, his deep cross found Davis to nod down for the unmarked Zinckernagel to steal in between Daniel Amartey and Wilfred Ndidi and fire past Danny Ward.

Leicester then collapsed seconds later when, from the restart, Amartey’s awful back-pass found Johnson and he stroked through Ward’s legs to make it 2-0.

The holders had been obliterated and worse was to follow when they fell further behind after 32 minutes.

Ryan Yates had already missed a fine headed chance before Ward turned Zinckernagel’s shot wide and from Garner’s resulting corner Worrall’s diving header crept in.

But as the hosts celebrated a fan entered the field from the away section before starting to throw punches at the Forest players before being hauled away.

Forest swarmed over Leicester and Spence was denied by Ward, yet the hosts gifted the Foxes a lifeline they barely deserved five minutes before the break.

James Maddison’s cute pass found Iheanacho on the left with Samba inexplicably rushing out of his goal. The striker pushed the ball through the goalkeeper’s legs and finished well from an angle to give the visitors hope.

It completed a breathless half and the next goal was crucial. Patson Daka replaced Barnes at the break and he teed up Maddison to curl just wide eight minutes after the restart before firing over himself.

There was to be no heroic comeback, though, and Spence added a fourth just after the hour when he swapped passes with Zinckernagel to find the bottom corner.

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AUBAMEYANG MAKES BARCELONA DEBUT IN FRENTIC VICTORY OVER ATLETICO MADRID

Ten-man Barcelona moved into fourth place in LaLiga following an action-packed 4-2 win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday.

Dani Alves set up his side’s equaliser for Jordi Alba, scored himself and was later sent off in a game which also saw former Arsenal striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang make his debut at Camp Nou.

The visitors took an early lead when Luis Suarez, playing against his former club, set up Yannick Carrasco to open the scoring, but Barca hit back just two minutes later as Alves set up Alba to volley home.

Wolves loanee Adama Traore then crossed for teenager Gavi to head the home side in front and they extended their lead shortly before the interval when Ronald Araujo drilled in a half-volley after Gerard Pique had headed an Alves free-kick off the bar.

Alves then got on the scoresheet himself just a few minutes into the second half with a superbly-struck shot beyond Jan Oblak, before a close-range header from Suarez gave Atletico renewed hope.

Barcelona had to see out the last 20 minutes with 10 men when Alves was sent off for a bad foul on Carrasco, with the referee initially taking no action until being told by the VAR to consult the pitchside monitor.

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HARVEY ELLIOT MAKES SCORING RETURN FROM INJURY IN LIVERPOOL’S WIN OVER CARDIFF

Teenager Harvey Elliott marked his return from almost five months out with a serious ankle injury with his first Liverpool goal in a 3-1 FA Cup fourth-round win over Cardiff.

The 18-year-old had been sidelined since a fracture dislocation at Leeds in September but marked his comeback with a brilliant swivelled finish in front of the Kop.

Prior to that new signing, Luis Diaz had given Anfield a glimpse of what he can offer with an encouraging 30-minute cameo.

The Colombia international only met his team-mates for the first time on Friday having waited in Paris most of the week for his visa to come through following his move from Porto last Sunday.

But there was no lacking in determination or invention as he played a significant role in the decisive second goal for Takumi Minamino midway through the second half, after Diogo Jota’s 15th of the season had broken the deadlock.

Cardiff substitute Rubin Colwill scored an 80th-minute consolation for the visitors with a smart finish past Kelleher but a place in the last 16 – and a home tie against Norwich – for only the second time in Jurgen Klopp’s reign was never in doubt.

The only concern came late on when Diaz went down holding his knee after Cardiff captain Aden Flint accidentally landed on him – but the 25-year-old was able to finish the game after treatment.

A late run out for midfielder Thiago Alcantara, after six weeks out with a hip problem, and Africa Cup of Nations finalists Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane due back before Thursday’s Premier League visit of Leicester means Liverpool’s contention in four competitions is looking as strong as it has all season.

Strong was not a word associated with Cardiff’s team as they made eight changes from Wednesday’s Sky Bet Championship win over Barnsley, including Oliver Denham for his first start and fellow 19-year-old Eli King, with just 11 minutes of senior football in his career.

But it was Liverpool who looked more disjointed as they played like a team who had not had a game for a fortnight.

Their best chance was their first half after just four minutes when Jota brilliantly nutmegged Denham from Naby Keita’s pass but shot too close to goalkeeper Dillon Phillips.

It set the theme for a first half of poor finishing as, after Minamino’s goal was ruled out for Kostas Tsimikas’ offside, Klopp’s side squandered a number of chances with Curtis Jones, Roberto Firmino and Trent Alexander-Arnold all culpable.

Cardiff had just 19 per cent possession all game but maximised their opportunities and could easily have had a first-half penalty when Mark Harris skipped past Ibrahima Konate out wide only to go down in the area.

Referee Andy Madley appeared to consider the Cardiff forward had unnaturally initiated contact by slowing down and stepping across the path of the recovering defender and VAR did not argue otherwise.

Harris was involved in the second contentious incident moments after the interval when he was brought down by Caoimhin Kelleher 20 yards outside his penalty area.

The goalkeeper escaped with a yellow card thanks only to the proximity of Konate but Cardiff were furious the punishment was not harsher.

Jota’s 54th-minute goal, heading home an Alexander-Arnold free-kick, made things even more difficult and Firmino should have doubled the lead with a header from a similar position – but he could only find the goalkeeper.

Just before the hour Elliott and Diaz were introduced to a rousing welcome before Jota hooked wide what should have been his second goal of the afternoon.

The Colombia international had the perfect introduction as he robbed Perry Ng on the byline as the Cardiff defender dithered on the ball and produced a clever cutback which was missed by Jota but converted by Minamino in the 68th minute.

Elliott marked his return from injury eight minutes later with a brilliant swivelled finish in front of the Kop.

Colwill’s goal was celebrated wildly by Cardiff’s players and significant travelling support. However, it was all they had to cheer on the day.

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AFCON: SENEGAL BEAT EGYPT IN FINAL SHOOT-OUT TO WIN MAIDEN TITLE

Sadio Mane made up for missing from the spot in normal time to score the decisive penalty as Senegal overcame Mohamed Salah’s Egypt 4-2 in a shoot-out to win their first Africa Cup of Nations title after Sunday’s final finished goalless at the end of extra time.

Mane had seen Mohamed Abou Gabal save his seventh-minute penalty at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde but Egypt could not capitalise as they went to extra time for the fourth consecutive game at this Cup of Nations.

Salah was due to step up to take Egypt’s fifth penalty but with Mohamed Abdelmonem hitting the post and Mohanad Lasheen having his kick saved by Edouard Mendy, the Liverpool star did not get his chance and was already on the verge of tears as his club team-mate Mane prepared to strike the decisive blow.

After two previous final defeats, Senegal are Cup of Nations winners at last, while Egypt missed out on a record-extending eighth continental crown that would also have been a first for Salah.

“It just shows that if you work hard, if you persevere, you will get what you want,” Senegal coach Aliou Cisse told broadcaster beIN Sports.

“I am very emotional because the people of Senegal have wanted this trophy for 60 years.”

Abou Gabal, who was named man of the match, summed up the Egyptian mood, saying: “We are really disappointed but that’s football, either you win or you lose.”

Senegal’s celebrations followed a disappointing final, the fifth in the last 11 editions of the tournament to be decided in a shoot-out after a goalless draw.

Egypt had already twice won finals that had been settled on penalties after finishing 0-0, and they had already won in the same manner twice in the last fortnight, against the Ivory Coast and Cameroon.

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STEVE BRUCE APPOINTED WESTBROM MANAGER ON 18-MONTH DEAL

West Brom have appointed Steve Bruce as their new manager on an 18-month contract.

The 61-year-old is back in work having been sacked at Newcastle in October following the club’s takeover and is charged with taking the Baggies back to the Premier League.

Bruce has plenty of experience of that, winning promotion from the Championship four times, and has managed in the midlands previously with both Aston Villa and Birmingham.

Bruce was not envisaging such a quick return to the dugout after an experience at Newcastle that took its toll on him, but he said he could not turn the Hawthorns project down.

He told the club’s official website: “I am delighted to have the opportunity to manage a club that has such great history and tradition.

“It is a club I obviously know well from my time in the midlands, and I am already relishing the challenge of taking it forward.

“I did not envisage I would return to management this quickly, but once I got the phone call from Ron (chief executive Ron Gourlay), I knew I could not resist the challenge of getting this club back to where they want to be.

“I am coming in with one aim and that is to get Albion to the Premier League.”

Bruce will take assistants Stephen Clemence and Steve Agnew with him, as well as his son Alex Bruce in a coaching role, joining James Morrison and Gary Walsh in the club’s backroom staff.

Albion’s chief executive officer Ron Gourlay said: “Steve is a highly-respected and experienced manager who has an impressive record of earning promotion to the Premier League.

“His excellent man-management skills, tactical nous, and ability to hit the ground running were among the many reasons we decided he was the man to take us forward.

“Promotion remains our objective for this season, and we are confident that with Steve leading the club we have given ourselves every chance of achieving that goal.”

Bruce will be in charge for the first time when Albion visit another one of his former clubs, Sheffield United, next Wednesday.

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EGYPT ELIMINATE HOSTS CAMEROON IN AFCON SEMIS AFTER PENALTY SHOOTOUT

Goalkeeper Mohamed Abou Gabal pulled off two spectacular saves as Egypt edged hosts Cameroon 3-1 in the penalty shootout to reach the final of Africa Cup of Nations following a goalless draw after extra time on Thursday.

Cameroon converted only one of their four spot-kicks, with Gabal blocking two of the strikes before Clinton Njie missed his attempt. Egypt converted all three of their kicks.

Egypt will be aiming to win a record-extending eighth Cup of Nations title when they face Senegal in Sunday’s final.

But they will be without coach Carlos Queiroz, who is suspended for the final after being sent off in Thursday’s second half for persistent touchline petulance

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MOHAMED SALAH TO FACE SADIO MANE IN AFCON FINAL AFTER EGYPT SEE OFF CAMEROON

Mandatory Credit: Photo by Backpage Media/REX/Shutterstock (12788314s) Mohamed Salah of Egypt celebrates a victory with teammates during the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations Afcon Finals Semifinal match between Cameroon and Egypt held at Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, Cameroon Cameroon v Egypt, 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, Semi-Final, Football, Olembe Stadium, Yaounde, Cameroon - 03 Feb 2022

Mohamed Salah will go head-to-head with Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane for Africa Cup of Nations glory after Egypt joined Senegal in the final by beating Cameroon on penalties.

The Pharaohs won the shoot-out 3-1 after 120 goalless minutes in the semi-final as Cameroon’s hopes of winning a sixth title on home soil came to an end.

Egypt goalkeeper Gabaski was the hero, saving penalties from Harold Moukoudi and James Lea Siliki, while former Tottenham man Clinton N’Jie missed the target.

It meant Salah was not even needed in the shoot-out as Egypt, who also won on penalties in the last 16 against Ivory Coast, moved one win away from a first Africa Cup of Nations title since 2010.

They will contest Sunday’s final against Senegal with coach Carlos Queiroz in the stands after he was shown a red card in the second half.

Things could have been different had Cameroon scored during a rampant opening.

They dominated early on and came within inches of taking the lead inside the opening 20 minutes.

Defender Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui climbed highest from a corner, but his effort hit the angle of the crossbar and post and then Vincent Aboubakar put the rebound agonisingly wide.

Former Fulham midfielder Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa had a chance when he flicked wide, before another golden opportunity presented itself to Ngadeu-Ngadjui as a ball into the box fell kindly at his feet, but he could not get a shot away.

Egypt started the second half better and Salah had a chance he would usually gobble up.

He went through on goal but was denied by Cameroon goalkeeper Andre Onana as he tried to round him.

The hosts regained the dominance and Karl Toko Ekambi was almost the hero when he flicked a cross towards goal and Gabaski did well to get down and save it.

As the game headed towards the end of the regulation 90 minutes, both teams lost energy and discipline and that spread to the touchline.

Egypt boss Queiroz, who had just been booked by referee Bakary Gassama, was furious after he thought he saw an elbow from a Cameroon player on one of his charges and was sent to the stands for his trouble.

Extra time was low on quality, with Cameroon coming closest as Gabaski spilled N’Jie’s cross, but he escaped and then came good as the game went to penalties.

Aboubakar scored Cameroon’s first penalty, but that was as good as it got as Moukoudi, Siliki and N’Jie missed consecutive kicks to send Egypt through, condemning the hosts to a third-place play-off with Burkina Faso.