List of All Articles with Tag 'al'

Kaoru Mitoma’s superb solo effort and Solly March’s second-half double helped lift Brighton top of the Premier League table after an impressive 4-1 win at Wolves. Japan midfielder Mitoma’s mesmeric run and finish gave Brighton a slender half-time lead before Roberto De Zerbi’s side put Wolves to the sword with three goals in nine minutes at the start of the second half. Pervis Estupinan doubled Brighton’s lead within 60 seconds of the restart and two carbon-copy goals from March, both assisted by teenage forward Julio Enciso, sealed the Seagulls’ second-straight win. Wolves responded through substitute Hwang Hee-chan’s header just after the hour mark, but it was mere consolation for Gary O’Neil’s side, who were emphatically punished for missed first-half chances and lost Matheus Nunes to a late red card. Mitoma gave Brighton a 15th-minute lead with a brilliant effort, cutting inside 40 yards from goal and beating three Wolves defenders before sliding the ball beyond goalkeeper Jose Sa. Brighton deserved their lead, but Wolves spent the rest of an end-to-end first half chasing an equaliser. Fabio Silva was brilliantly denied by Brighton goalkeeper Jason Steele’s out-stretched boot in the 28th minute after the Portuguese forward had ghosted on to Joao Gomes’ deft through-ball. The home side went close again when Nunes curled a shot off-target following impressive Brazilian Matheus Cunha’s powerful run and Pedro Neto flashed an angled drive just wide. Brighton continued to threaten on the counter – Mitoma and Paraguayan Enciso were a constant menace – but Wolves passed up another chance just before the break. Rayan Ait-Nouri found himself clear in front of goal after exchanging passes with Silva, but the Algeria defender blazed over shortly before half-time. Wolves were made to pay inside 60 seconds of the restart as Brighton extended their lead and then put the game to bed with two more strikes, all within the space of nine minutes. Estupinan tucked home the visitors’ second, stepping on to Mitoma’s cut-back after Danny Welbeck’s fierce drive had been parried by Sa. March then slammed home his first as he charged on to Enciso’s lovely weighted ball inside the penalty area to make it 3-0 in the 51st minute and that became 4-0, just four minutes later. Enciso this time found himself free on the opposite edge of the area and his ball in was turned home again by March to leave Molineux stunned. Wolves responded just after the hour-mark as Hwang headed home fellow substitute Pablo Sarabia’s corner and they drove gamely forward in a bid to mitigate the damage. Efforts from Sarabia and Pedro Neto were held by Steele and rebounded off Evan Ferguson respectively, while March was twice denied his hat-trick with goal-bound shots blocked by Toti Gomes and Steele. Wolves’ misery was complete in stoppage-time when Nunes was sent off for his second yellow card after pushing Estupinan to the ground. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Tottenham fans stage protest over ticket price increases ahead of Man Utd match Bryan Mbeumo at the double as Brentford ease to victory over 10-man Fulham Liverpool recover from rocky opening to see off Bournemouth

Hundreds of Tottenham supporters staged a protest ahead of the club’s home match against Manchester United over the decision to increase matchday ticket prices for this season. It was first revealed in July that Spurs planned to raise the price of matchday tickets for the 2023-24 campaign, a decision heavily criticised by Tottenham Hotspur Supporters’ Trust. THST unveiled plans on August 1 to demonstrate against the increase ahead of Manchester United’s visit and a large group of fans gathered outside the stadium at 3.45pm with banners held up urging the club to reverse its decision. Spurs announced in April that season-ticket prices would be frozen for the second year in a row, but THST confirmed in July that the club planned to raise matchday ticket prices. It was also revealed there would now be six Category A fixtures, the most expensive ticket, with Newcastle bumped up from Category B. A Tottenham spokesperson told the PA news agency at the time: “We are fully aware of the current rising cost of living – and as such are one of only three Premier League clubs to freeze Season Ticket prices for the coming season. “Our match ticket prices are comparable to other London clubs, with a wide range of price points available for fans to choose from.” After THST described the club’s decision to increase matchday tickets as “excessive”, earlier this month the Supporters’ Trust produced a ‘Call to Action’ plan alongside a number of key facts around the price rise. The highest matchday ticket is now £103 and THST state the club’s decision to increase prices “will generate approximately £2.5million”, which they allege contributes to only 0.6 of the club’s total income. Upon revealing plans to hold a peaceful protest, THST urged the club to reverse its decision, guarantee there would be no price increase for next season and for a full commitment to consult the Supporters’ Trust and the Fan Advisory Board on a “fair and sustainable” ticking strategy. “I hope the club listen and do retract the matchday ticket price increase,” THST chair Martin Buhagiar told PA earlier in August. “People can’t afford their mortgage, can’t afford their shopping, can’t afford their utility bills, so now is not the time to price loyal fans out of football. “My concern is the stadium will always sell out because of day-trippers or people on holiday coming to games, but fundamentally you will end up with a passionless stadium if you price out the passionate fans.” After plenty of promotion on social media alongside the hashtags #StopExploitingLoyalty and #StopTicketPriceRises during recent weeks, a large number of fans turned up for Saturday’s demonstration. Around 300 supporters stood on the High Road outside Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and held up banners with one reading: “Greed is a choice. No to ticket price hike” and another stating: “Stop Exploiting Fans.” While some of the chanting briefly turned to calling for chairman Daniel Levy to leave Spurs, the majority of the singing was repeatedly calling for the club to reverse its decision before supporters moved on after half an hour. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Solly March bags brace as Brighton beat Wolves to go top of Premier League Bryan Mbeumo at the double as Brentford ease to victory over 10-man Fulham Liverpool recover from rocky opening to see off Bournemouth

Brentford claimed west London bragging rights over 10-man Fulham with a deserved 3-0 victory at Craven Cottage in the Premier League. Yoane Wissa’s first-half strike coupled with a Bryan Mbeumo double was enough for Thomas Frank’s men, who extended their unbeaten record in London derbies to 11. The Bees continue to adjust to life without Ivan Toney but did not look back after an impressive display from their frontmen who sealed a deserved three points away from home. Both sets of supporters set the tone as Fulham’s new striker Raul Jimenez enjoyed defending Mathias Jensen’s attacking throw-ins before the Mexican nearly caught goalkeeper Mark Flekken napping with the ball at feet. Marco Silva had discussed the striker’s plethora of attributes on Friday and his compliments seemed justified as the £5.5million man had multiple touches of the ball in dangerous areas as the hosts pushed to capitalise on a chaotic start from both sides. Frank’s change of shape from a back five during their 2-2 draw to Spurs to a back four here failed to resolve his side’s possession problems in the first half but a loose ball in midfield saw the pacey Wissa test Bernd Leno after 25 minutes. After Ethan Pinnock directed a Fulham corner onto his own crossbar, Mbeumo delivered a golden opportunity to Wissa after 38 minutes but the Congo attacker scuffed his effort wide from a position you would back the suspended Toney to convert from. But just before half-time Wissa did not have to be asked again as he gave his side the lead. Kenny Tete’s back pass to Issa Diop saw the Frenchman fumble his touch before the Brentford attacker pounced on the loose ball and run through on goal where he dispatched his effort calmy past a helpless Leno. Fulham responded well after the break as Tete marauded forward before his cut back found Bobby De Cordova-Reid, whose first-time effort cannoned off the crossbar as the Jamaican was denied his second of the season after his winner at Goodison Park last week. Typical of a derby, Brentford immediately went down the other end in numbers and Jensen’s 54th-minute half-volley was hit into the ground and forced Leno to make an acrobatic save. But in the 64th minute Wissa wreaked further havoc on the Fulham backline and forced a clumsy challenge from skipper Tim Ream, who gave away a penalty and was shown a second yellow by referee Darren Bond. Mbeumo scored a penalty for the second week in a row after his composed effort rooted Leno to the spot as the ball clipped the inside of the left post and nestled in the bottom corner to give Brentford a 2-0 advantage. Fulham hunted for a way back during nine minutes of added time through cameos from Willian and new signing Adama Traore but the extra man paid dividends for the visitors and Kristoffer Ajer’s well-timed cross found the potent Mbeumo who rounded off victory for Brentford. Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Tottenham fans stage protest over ticket price increases ahead of Man Utd match Solly March bags brace as Brighton beat Wolves to go top of Premier League Liverpool recover from rocky opening to see off Bournemouth

It says something about England manager Sarina Wiegman that even her own players have to remind themselves that their boss is a mere mortal. One of the most memorable moments of this World Cup came when, on the eve of the Lionesses’ final group stage match against China, midfielder Georgia Stanway relayed an anecdote about meeting members of Wiegman’s family in Australia that concluded with the quip, “Sometimes you don’t realise your head coach is actually human.” It would be easy to look at the 53-year-old’s incredible record and insist she must be some kind of superhero from Planet Football who six years ago arrived on Earth with the mission of conquering as many major competitions as possible, beginning when she steered the Netherlands – her actual place of origin – to the Euro 2017 title. The reality is far more interesting – and relatable. In 2007, the part-time coach and PE teacher was offered a semi-professional role leading ADO Den Hag in the newly-formed Eredivisie Vrouwen, a risky move she resolutely replied she would only make if it was upgraded to a full-time gig. “I never talk about my husband (Marten Glotzbach) that much but then it was about my family,” she told the PA news agency. “I quit my job. We didn’t earn a lot of money by being a professional coach, but I really wanted to do the job. And he said, ‘this is your passion. Go for your passion, and we’ll be alright with the two daughters.’ “And that was for me the most important thing, that we as a family were OK, and I could do this job properly. I said I want to do it full time because I want to focus on football, and if I couldn’t do it full-time I wouldn’t have done it, because then I couldn’t bring the quality that was needed to develop the game.” Under the former Netherlands midfielder, who as a child cut her hair and pretended to be a boy to evade a ban forbidding girls from playing football, ADO Den Haag won the national championship in 2012, and the FA Cup-equivalent KNVB Cup in 2012 and 2013. Wiegman, who earned 104 caps for her country, had witnessed what investment in the women’s game could yield from her time spent playing for the University of North Carolina Tar Heels – also the alma mater of current Lionesses Lucy Bronze, Alessia Russo and Lotte Wubben-Moy – in the late 1980s. The opportunity to play in America came after a chance meeting with then-US women’s national team head coach Anson Dorrance at a 1988 FIFA-sanctioned proof-of-concept tournament in China that would eventually lead to the establishment of the inaugural Women’s World Cup in 1991. Dorrance, who still works at UNC and remains in touch with Wiegman and her playing trio, told the PA news agency: “You could see something in her even incredibly early that set her apart.” Writing in the Coaches’ Voice, Wiegman said: “America was like a soccer paradise for me. There was recognition, the facilities were great and we had good coaches – passionate coaches. The year I spent there changed my life. It changed my mindset.” Seven years after turning full time, Wiegman was back in the national team set up, this time as head coach Roger Reijners’ assistant. She soon upskilled, interning with men’s side Sparta Rotterdam whilst on her pro license course, in the process anointing Wiegman as the first woman to coach with a Dutch men’s professional club. The true pioneer was handed the Netherlands’ top job permanently in 2017, just six months before she would guide the hosts to a maiden Euros victory. Less than a year after leaving the ‘Orange Lionesses’ for the English ones in 2021, Wiegman steered her new side to the same trophy, the first coach to do so with two different countries. When England sealed their trip to a first-ever World Cup final with Wednesday’s 3-1 victory over co-hosts Australia, Wiegman also became the first manager to reach the showpiece’s final hurdle with two different teams. Four years ago in France, the Netherlands finished runners-up to the United States. England – and Wiegman – are determined to do one better this year. The Lionesses have lost just once in 38 games under Wiegman, a record they are aching to extend to 39 on Sunday. Both Wiegman and Dorrance would describe the England boss as “serious”, someone who has imported a sense of Dutch directness to the culture at St George’s Park. That reputation – combined with a reluctance to steal any of the spotlight away from her players – belies a delightful and often self-deprecating sense of humour, impeccable comedic timing, and awareness that she does often have a resting “focused face” until she erupts with emotion after a goal or final whistle. Despite her reputation as a serial winner, who FA chief executive Mark Bullingham said this week “could do any job in football”, Wiegman revealed her biggest motivation and “love”, no matter how full her trophy cabinet gets, “is to work with work with very ambitious, talented people. “Connecting people, trying to help players to support players and help them a little bit in their development, which helps them in life too. “Yes I want to win and I want to be the best too but that gives me the energy.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Tottenham fans stage protest over ticket price increases ahead of Man Utd match Solly March bags brace as Brighton beat Wolves to go top of Premier League Bryan Mbeumo at the double as Brentford ease to victory over 10-man Fulham

Bryce Young knows how to play winning football, but maybe not the Carolina Panthers...The Carolina Panthers need to do a better job of protecting and getting open for Bryce Young.Fresh off his second preseason game, Young was roughed up on a few plays behind a porous offensive line. It didn&...

St. Louis Cardinals fans were furious with Pete Alonso for throwing away Masyn Winn's first hit to the crowd. It turns out, Alonso felt horrible after the fact.Thankfully, Masyn Winn did eventually get his first MLB hit ball back, as Cardinals fans were nice enough to lend it to the rookie ...

Up to his old tricks.

At practice this week, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick wanted to make sure he and quarterback Mac Jones were on the same page.After reaching the playoffs in 2021, the team took a step backwards this past season – especially on the offensive side of the ball. Some are questio...

Kansas City Chiefs defensive star Chris Jones warned fans about a fake fundraiser aiming to make money off his training camp holdout.Sadly for Chiefs fans, there is no direct way to donate money to ensure Chris Jones is on the field Week 1 against the Detroit Lions. Jones is in the midst of a co...

Great news is expected to come out for UNC football player Tez Walker sometime next week.The NCAA needs to do the right thing and make UNC football player Tez Walker eligible for 2023.Walker committed to North Carolina Central out of high school. With the Eagles' 2020 season being cance...

MLB Rumors: Could the Baltimore Orioles call up the top prospect in baseball?If we've determined anything from the last 24 hours thanks to the Los Angeles Angels calling up Nolan Schanuel, it's that no prospect is off limits. Schanuel was the Angels 2023 MLB Draft pick. Typically, it wou...

Sweden struck in either half to retain their World Cup best of the rest status with victory over co-hosts Australia in the third-place play-off. A Fridolina Rolfo penalty and fine Kosovare Asllani strike secured a 2-0 win for Sweden, who never looked in danger of losing to the home favourites in Brisbane. Peter Gerhardsson’s side responded magnificently to their last-minute semi-final exit at the hands of Spain, outclassing Australia to win the third-place play-off for the fourth time in their history. Sweden started quickly and set out their stall early on as Arsenal forward Stina Blackstenius got in on goal within the opening two minutes, her low shot turned away by Mackenzie Arnold. Just as the hosts looked to be getting a foothold in the game, Sweden would take the lead as a penalty was awarded following a lengthy VAR review of Clare Hunt’s trip of Blackstenius’ trailing leg. Rolfo, who scored the winner when the two nations met in the 2020 Olympics semi-finals, made no mistake from the spot with Arnold beaten despite diving the right way. Sweden came close to doubling their lead in first-half stoppage time but a fine low save from Arnold kept out a Filippa Angeldahl strike that flashed through a crowded penalty area. Having beaten England to finish third four years ago in France, Sweden all-but secured another bronze medal as they widened the margin just after the hour. A pacey counter-attack saw Blackstenius shake off the attentions of the Australia defence before squaring for Asllani to hit one of the goals of the tournament, beating Arnold with a strike from the edge of the box. Any hopes that Australia could launch an unlikely comeback suffered a blow when captain Sam Kerr hobbled off for treatment on her foot. The Chelsea striker suffered a calf injury on the eve of the finals, dampening her impact as she was not fit enough to start a game until the semi-final loss to England. She returned to the pitch but, by that stage, Sweden were in control of the tie and left the home fans cheering a valiant effort from Australia, who had to settle for fourth place. Read More Olga Carmona fires Spain into first Women’s World Cup final amid late drama How England changed the World Cup and found their greatest strength Jorge Vilda: Spain’s World Cup coach at the heart of a civil war