List of All Articles with Tag 'ball'

One of the most remarkable stories in football now has another twist. Leicester City are relegated a mere seven years after winning this competition’s greatest title of all, their fate sealed by Abdoulaye Doucoure’s 57th-minute release at Everton. Dean Smith’s side had already done their job by going 2-0 up against West Ham United, which ensured this drastic fall for the club became one long wait. The pained anxiety of that manifested in three separate celebrations for Bournemouth goals at Goodison Park that hadn’t actually happened, their cheers quickly disrupted by frenzied checks of the phone. There was then the way the Everton game went on 10 minutes longer after a lengthy period of stoppage time. It just prolonged that hope, and made it even worse when confirmation finally came. As defeated-looking Leicester players checked their phones and then saluted the fans, West Ham United supporters celebrated that and their own forthcoming trip to Prague. It laid bare the cruelty of days like this, as memories of better days surrounded the whole stadium. Andrea Bocelli had famously sung “time to say goodbye” on that glorious evening back in May 2016, and while it presents a fitting line here, the goading West Ham fans were in no mood to be so poetic. “Going down” was the obvious one regularly sung, before the doubly cutting: “Say hello to Millwall! Say hello to Millwall!” It was in itself a reminder of the rarefied and glossy world that Leicester are leaving, so quickly going from the Premier League’s “model club” to an ultimate example of how quickly it can all fall apart in the game’s current economic landscape. The global economic landscape has played its part in that, with the Covid pandemic greatly affecting the owners’ duty-free business. That fed into a wider frustration within the club, that Brendan Rodgers made clear he was feeling from the very start of the season. It never really picked up. But none of that obscures the fact that Leicester have so many players that really shouldn’t have been in this situation at all. The line-up that has ultimately gone down - club legend Jamie Vardy symbolically starting on the bench - is one that should easily have been mid-table, and will now boost the squads of other Premier League teams. That, brutally, is no longer what Leicester are. And that despite having a better team than the one David Moyes started here to keep fresh for their Europa Conference final. It shouldn’t have gone this wrong. That was reflected in how there were a few boos when the final whistle went, even if they were drowned out by proud applause. It’s also more history in its own way. Leicester are the club to have the fifth-fastest relegation after winning a title since the second world war. In the Premier League, only Blackburn Rovers had it worse, at four years. It is quite a turn, that will now get more focus, but one of the issues was that there weren’t enough twists on this day itself. Leicester left themselves in too perilous a situation. The only real moment of drama was on 34 minutes, duly supplied by one of the players who is already most in demand. Harvey Barnes ran straight at the box to play a one-two with Kelechi Iheanacho, and then slide the ball past Lukasz Fabianski. It was a brilliant goal, and naturally produced a roar reminiscent of the day the Premier League trophy was presented here. It did put Leicester in a welcome if slightly strange position, though. They’d done their job, and just needed to hold firm, with all onus now on Everton. Even Leicester fans were watching the wrong game. There was a danger there as they lost urgency, until Wout Faes headed in a Youri Tielemans’s free-kick. By then, however, Everton had already scored. All of this was immaterial, including Pablo Fornals’s late goal. It was all dependent on one sudden twist. That is instead what this season has represented for Leicester. Nobody would have imagined it when they won the FA Cup just two years ago. They can still look to their dreams being fulfilled in 2016. They have had quite a run, beyond what many supporters get in a club’s entire history. It’s just that nobody expected it to be as brief as this. Leicester make history in another way. Their sensational story has a twist, albeit after no drama. Read More Why is BT Sport being rebranded to TNT Sports? Eurosport merger explained James Ward-Prowse, James Maddison and 16 Premier League transfer targets after relegation ‘It is theatre’: Inside the emotional chaos of a final-day Premier League relegation battle How the final day played out with Everton surviving relegation fight Relegation chances: What do Leeds, Everton and Leicester need to survive? Premier League relegation battle LIVE: Results and reaction as Everton survive

VIDEO: Crazy high school baseball game ending.

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Bayern Munich are celebrating their record 11th German Bundesliga title at Munich's town hall today (28 May), after the team beat Köln 2-1 this weekend. Players will appear on the balcony to cheering crowds below, with fans taking over the streets of Munich to celebrate. An initial goal from Kingsley Coman in the 8th minute put the team 1-0 up, before Köln's Ljubicic equalized in minute 81. After a short time under Thomas Tuchel's leadership and a few last minute changes, Jamal Musialia’s 89th minute goal took the win for Munich. Borussia Dortmund were tipped to win the title initially, but a 2-2 draw with Mainz saw their dreams shattered. Munich will now face off in a friendly against Manchester City in July, and another with Liverpool in August. Click here to sign up for our newsletters. Read More Bayern Munich dramatically snatch Bundesliga title at the death as Dortmund slip up Borussia Dortmund vs Mainz LIVE: Latest Bundesliga updates Bundesliga title set for final-day drama with Dortmund one win away

The Premier League is set for a blockbuster final day as Everton, Leeds United and Leicester City all fight for a place in the top-flight next season. The Toffees are in pole position to survive the drop, sitting 17th in the table with a two-point advantage over their relegation rivals. They face Bournemouth in this afternoon’s clash and with the Cherries already safe Everton have a strong chance of claiming victory. Elsewhere, Leicester (18th) take on West Ham knowing that only three points - and an Everton loss - will be enough to keep them in the Premier League. The good news for Dean Smith’s side is that the Hammers are focused on their upcoming Europa Conference League final so may field a weakened team. The final contender in this relegation battle is Leeds. They have arguably the most difficult challenge as they take on Tottenham. Home advantage can play it’s part and the Elland Road faithful will bring the noise. Like the Hammers, Leeds must win and hope Everton lose, the difference is that Spurs are also chasing three points as they have a chance to earn European football next season. Follow all the action from the Premier League final day below and see which team avoids the drop: Read More ‘It is theatre’: Inside the emotional chaos of a final-day Premier League relegation battle Dean Smith knows just how big an achievement keeping Leicester up will be Consistency is key as Sean Dyche plans to get Everton survival bid over the line

Can Leeds United pull off a shock and defeat Tottenham Hotspur on the final day of the Premier League season? That’s the only way Sam Allardyce’s men can make sure they avoid relegation to the Championship this year. Fate is out of their hands in the battle for survival after a 1-1 draw with Leicester City last time out kept them inside the bottom three, two points behind 17th placed Everton. To have any chance of remaining in the top-flight Leeds must win today and hope other results go in their favour. Spurs will be difficult to beat though as they are still challenging for a place in Europe next season. They could nick a Europa Conference League spot away from Aston Villa if they earn all three points at Elland Road and no doubt Harry Kane will want to impress after rumours he could be leaving the club in the summer. Here’s everything you need to know ahead of this crucial Premier League clash: When is Leeds vs Tottenham? Leeds vs Tottenham is due to kick off at 4.30pm BST on Sunday 28 May at Elland Road in Leeds. How can I watch it? Viewers in the United Kingdom can watch the match live on BT Sport 1HD, with coverage on the channels from 3.30pm BST. Subscribers can stream the game via the BT Sport app. Team news Leeds will give Patrick Bamford as long as he needs to prove his fitness before the start of the match and Rodrigo is back in training so should feature for the Whites. Manager Sam Allardyce says he will risk starting players who aren’t fully fit but have the desire to play and hopefully win the game. Eric Dier has undergone groin surgery this week and will be unavailable for Tottenham. Cristiano Romero has picked up a knock so won’t play but Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg could feature. Predicted line-ups Leeds XI: Meslier; Ayling, Koch, Cooper, Firpo; McKennie, Roca; Harrison, Rodrigo, Sinisterra; Bamford Tottenham XI: Forster; Emerson, Sanchez, Lenglet; Porro, Skipp, Hojbjerg, Davies; Richarlison, Kane, Son Odds Leeds win 7/4 Draw 29/10 Tottenham win 7/5 Prediction Leeds put up a good fight and provide some drama on the final day of the season by taking the lead early on before Spurs kick into gear and record a comeback win on what could possibly be Harry Kane’s last outing for the club, in the process Sam Allardyce’s men are relegated to the Championship. Leeds 1-2 Tottenham. Read More ‘It is theatre’: Inside the emotional chaos of a final-day Premier League relegation battle Premier League relegation: What do Leeds, Everton and Leicester need to survive? Harry Kane taking inspiration from greats as he eyes another decade at top

Paul Konchesky has left his position as West Ham manager after the Women’s Super League season ended on Saturday. The former England defender, who made 70 appearances for the Hammers, was promoted from assistant in May 2022 when boss Olli Harder departed the club. Konchesky signed a two-year deal, but has left the Hammers after just 29 games in charge, with the club finishing eighth in the WSL table following a 2-2 draw at home to London rivals Tottenham in their final match of the campaign. “I am proud and honoured to have had the opportunity to manage this club,” Konchesky told the club’s official website. “My players and my staff have always given me 100 per cent and while some of our results have been disappointing this season, we still have a lot to be proud of, including reaching the semi-final of the Conti Cup. I wish the club well for the future.” West Ham Women general manager Aidan Boxall said: “We would like to thank Paul for his contribution to the club, both as manager and during his spell as assistant manager. “He has played a key role in the ongoing development of the women’s team and we wish him well for the future.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Luton captain Tom Lockyer has thanked medical staff for their “swift and thorough response” after collapsing during his side’s Sky Bet Championship play-off final victory against Coventry. The defender fell to the floor while running back during the match and received treatment before being carried off the pitch on a stretcher. The game went to penalties after Jordan Clark’s opener was cancelled out by Gustavo Hamer to finish 1-1 after extra time, and the Hatters secured Premier League football for next season with a 6-5 victory on penalties. Luton players held up Lockyer’s shirt throughout their celebrations and the captain posted an update on Instagram. He said: “Well not quite where I thought I’d be celebrating at the final whistle! “I would just like to say a massive thank you to the amazing physios and doctors at Luton and Wembley for the swift and thorough response. “A much scarier moment for everyone else than myself I am sure! “Commiserations to Coventry a fantastic opponent over 3 games which had to be decided by penalties. “I am currently in hospital under precaution and will stay here overnight for further tests in the morning. “I am feeling very much myself, helped by the way the lads left it all out on pitch! It’s such an honour to be part of this team.. Premier League baby.” A thrilling finale at Wembley saw victory secure a return to the top flight for Luton for the first time since 1992. It is a remarkable turnaround given just nine years ago the Hatters ended a five-season stretch in the fifth tier, but manager Rob Edwards admitted emotions were “mixed” afterwards following Lockyer’s collapse. “I felt a bit numb. I just made sure I shook Mark’s hand and his staff,” Edwards said. “I don’t want to be that guy that just starts running off and celebrating before I’ve seen the other manager. “I just felt very numb. I still do. It hasn’t sunk in quite yet. It might take a few days, but it’s great. It does feel good. “It was mixed because of Locks (Lockyer), that’s why I couldn’t really go for it celebrating.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Ethan Pinnock signs new four-year contract at Brentford Opening batter Ben Duckett backed to thrive long-term in second England chance Aryna Sabalenka to begin French Open against player who ‘hates’ her

Ethan Pinnock has signed a new four-year contract at Brentford. The defender, who turns 30 on Monday, will now stay with the Bees until the summer of 2027. Pinnock joined Brentford from Barnsley in 2019 and has made 153 appearances for the club. Bees boss Thomas Frank told the club’s official website: “This is great news for Brentford and I am incredibly pleased that we have Ethan with us for four more years, I am sure our fans are delighted. “Ethan has been a mountain in defence for us for the last four years. He played a key role in our journey to the top half of the Premier League. He is a top, top player and a great person. “He has stepped seamlessly in the Premier League and it is an amazing story for him, and for football, that he can progress from non-league to the top of the game so quickly. “He has proven himself to be a typical Brentford signing, he meets every challenge he faces and we think there is still more development for him. “Ethan has been so reliable and consistent for us and I am sure that will continue. He will be spending the prime years of his career with us and we look forward to him helping the team be successful in the coming seasons.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Lionel Messi produced a Wembley masterclass as Barcelona beat Manchester United 3-1 in the Champions League final on this day in 2011 to become European champions for a fourth time. Pep Guardiola won his second Champions League as Barca head coach in three years after a dominant performance from his side. They reached the final after defeating El Clasico rivals Real Madrid 3-1 on aggregate in the last four, with United sweeping aside Schalke 6-1 in their semi-final. Guardiola’s side outplayed United in the first half, enjoying 68 per cent possession and having 22 shots, but were still level at half-time as Pedro’s opener was cancelled out by Wayne Rooney, who side-footed home from 15 yards after a one-two with Ryan Giggs. Barca’s dominance continued after the break with Messi, who moments earlier had seen a shot cleared off the line by Patrice Evra, firing in a low shot from 25 yards. Messi’s dribbling then caused panic in the United defence and David Villa capitalised to whip a shot into the top corner from just outside the penalty area and secure Barcelona’s third Champions League title in six years. Eric Abidal, who had undergone surgery only two months earlier to remove a tumour in his liver, was given the honour of wearing the captain’s armband during the presentation ceremony and he was the first player to lift the trophy. After the match Guardiola hailed Messi as “the best player I have ever seen”, while United boss Sir Alex Ferguson said: “In my time as manager it is the best team we have faced.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live

Gareth Southgate knows next year’s Euros will have to go extremely well for it to be a “possibility in anybody’s eyes” for him to stay on as England manager. The 52-year-old was parachuted into the hotseat following Sam Allardyce’s ignominious exit in 2016 and has gone on to oversee the national team’s best spell since winning the World Cup. England reached the 2018 semi-finals before losing the delayed Euro 2020 final in an agonising penalty shoot-out defeat to Italy at Wembley. There were more signs of progress as the team were edged out by France at last year’s World Cup, but a challenging year meant Southgate had to weigh up whether to see out his contract until 2024. The England boss decided to stay on after a week of contemplation following Qatar, but next summer’s European Championship could prove his last finals in charge. “My contract is until the December,” Southgate said. “That was always put in place because it would allow everybody reflection time, really.” Asked if the Euros would be his last tournament, Southgate said: “Who knows? “I think we’ll have to go very, very well for that to be a possibility in anybody’s eyes and that’s fair enough. I’m more than comfortable with that. “My aim is to try and win the tournament and everything I do is geared around that and every conversation I have with the players now is geared around that. “So, what will happen in the future at the moment it isn’t at the forefront of my mind, but trying to win this European Championship is.” England are third favourites with the bookmakers to triumph in Germany next year, and that is all the manager is focused on right now. ‘Succession’ is a buzzword thanks to the popular US TV series, but Southgate has not seen the show and was unwilling to talk about potential candidates for a job he cares deeply about. “Whatever (input) John (McDermott, Football Association technical director) and everybody else at the FA would like, really,” he said. “I’m not precious about it. If I could help in any way, at whatever point. I try to do that now with involvement in the pro licence, with reaching out to English coaches. “We’ve had people in to have the odd day here and there with us at training. “That’s not my decision but I’d always help English football as much as I can. “At whatever point I leave here, hopefully we’ve won something, but if I’m the second most successful I’ll be more than happy to become third very quickly. “I joined here to help English football and that will never change for me.” England’s immediate focus is taking a giant stride towards Germany by beating Malta and North Macedonia in June, but for a number of players their future is up in the air. Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Jude Bellingham are subject of widespread speculation, while a lack of game-time is an issue for Southgate’s favourites Harry Maguire and Kalvin Phillips. “There’s potentially a lot of movement with that squad we’ve picked across the summer, but I think it will be later in the summer,” the England boss said. “It doesn’t worry me how it plays out. I think as a player you always back yourself. You’ve got to. “You’ve got to have the mentality that ‘wherever I go I’m going to force my way into the team’ until such point as which it becomes apparent where ‘maybe I’ve got to go’. “And maybe we’ve got a couple in the squad who’ve got that decision to go through in their own minds this summer.” That self-confidence has paid dividends for Jack Grealish, who struggled to make the desired impact in his first season at Manchester City. But the 27-year-old has come on leaps and bounds this term under Pep Guardiola, who Southgate considers the best coach in the world. “I’m a huge admirer,” the England boss said. “He knows that, I’ve told him. “Of course it’s been brilliant for our players to work with him and they have learned individually, tactically and, probably as much as anything, that mentality. “You mention Jack, he’s played properly, I would say, in this period. You know, against Real Madrid with and without the ball. “That wasn’t the case two-and-a-half years ago, if I’m honest, so there’s been a lot of progress.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Erik ten Hag confident Marcus Rashford can score 40 goals in a season I’ll stay at Newcastle as long as I’m wanted – Eddie Howe Ryan Mason believes Daniel Levy has ‘been let down by other people’ at Tottenham

Wolves boss Julen Lopetegui insists it is unfair to label Arsenal as bottlers after their title challenge faltered. The Gunners will finish second behind Manchester City having topped the table for the majority of the season. They held an eight-point lead in March but dropped crucial points against Liverpool, West Ham and Southampton in the run-in before losing 4-1 at City in April. Arsenal’s defeats to Brighton and Nottingham Forest handed City a third straight title but, ahead of Wolves’ trip to the Emirates for Sunday’s Premier League finale, Lopetegui feels the Gunners do not deserve criticism for coming second. “Of course (they don’t). It’s an incredible league and in the end they lost to Manchester City in one of the last matches,” he said. “They have done fantastic work – you only have to look at the teams that finished below them, incredible teams. “So I praise Mikel (Arteta) for his fantastic work. I remember he had big problems when he arrived two years ago but they showed faith and belief in him and now they are collecting the rewards. “He’s improved the team and changed a lot of players and put a lot of quality on the pitch and produced fantastic answers. “Now they have an incredible project in front of them. “That’s the merit of Mikel – fantastic work. In the same way, it highlights the merit of the club and the sporting director because he wouldn’t be able to do what he’s done without the belief in him. “In football to believe in the mid term or long term is very difficult. “It’s generally always short term. I think they are reaping the rewards for that belief and I’m happy for them because the teams that show patience and work a lot for the future deserve to have success.” Lopetegui remains in talks with Wolves over his future having guided them to mid-table safety. He is looking for clarification on the amount of backing he will receive in the summer with financial fair play restricting the club’s spending power. He wants to revamp the squad with several expected to leave including Ruben Neves and the out-of-contract Joao Moutinho and Adama Traore but Lopetegui suggested Raul Jimenez still has a Wolves future. “Raul has another year on his contract with us and for me it’s not his last match with us. He’s our player,” he said. “Raul is our player and he’s under contract. I hope he continues with us.” Read More Charity boss speaks out over ‘traumatic’ encounter with royal aide Ukraine war’s heaviest fight rages in east - follow live Erik ten Hag confident Marcus Rashford can score 40 goals in a season I’ll stay at Newcastle as long as I’m wanted – Eddie Howe Ryan Mason believes Daniel Levy has ‘been let down by other people’ at Tottenham