Sports
Relief at Old Trafford as United seal first win of the season
Relief coursed through the veins of Manchester United supporters as their team finally clinched their first victory of the season with a dramatic 3-2 win over Burnley at Old Trafford.
The match, filled with end-to-end action, was decided in stoppage time when skipper Bruno Fernandes calmly converted a penalty, sending the visitors home empty-handed.
READ ALSO: Fulham, Man United share spoils in thrilling 1-1 draw
The hosts took an early lead thanks to an own goal by Burnley’s Cullen before the break. However, United’s dominance faded after halftime, allowing Burnley to fight back.
Foster leveled the score for the Clarets, only for Mbeumo to restore their advantage immediately. United’s Anthony then struck from close range to bring the game back on level terms.
As the match seemed destined for a draw, a crucial moment arrived when Anthony, who had been Burnley’s hero, committed a shirt-pull foul on Amad inside the box. This gave United a golden opportunity, which Fernandes seized with composure to secure all three points.
Statistically, Manchester United’s performance was dominant, finishing with an expected goals (xG) tally of 3.54 and 26 shots, compared to Burnley’s xG of 1.2. The victory not only rewards United’s persistence but also boosts their confidence ahead of a challenging fixture list.
With international duty looming for many players, the Premier League will soon resume with a high-stakes Manchester derby, as United prepare to face arch-rivals Manchester City.
Meanwhile, Burnley will look to bounce back when they host reigning champions Liverpool in their next outing.
Not even Lamine Yamal’s second half introduction could help Spain break through the defence of debutants, Cape Verde, in their first ever meeting, as the ongoing World Cup event produced another one of the stunning results on Monday.
Yamal, the Barcelona superstar just recovering from a near two-month hamstring injury, was brought into the game in the second half to zest up the one-time world champion, but failed to break down the Cape Verde’s dogged defence.
Spain’s in the game played in Atlanta, one of the cities hosting the three-nation Mundial, displayed the same dismal outing, which saw them offering far less than the quality, which saw them lifting the trophy for the first time in 2010.
The European champions, which have not won a knockout game ever since, failed to dominate the African side, replicating their less than impressing outings and their eventual exit in 2018 and 2022 editions, even with the claims of coach Luis de la Fuente that the squad was the best in the competition, Spain were considered among the pre-tournament.
Neither Yamal nor Nico Williams, who also was hit by an injury-disrupted season at Athletic Bilbao and was not introduced until the 87th minute, were able to rise to the occasion against the 500,000 people African side, ranked 67 in the world, which is making their debut on the global stage.
In stark contrast to the searing temperatures faced by some other sides, Atlanta’s state-of-the-art air conditioned stadium meant there was no excuses for the slow tempo of Spain’s build-up.
Indeed the mid-half hydration break was met by boos with fans frustrated at the break in play despite the cool conditions.
The only serious move from the European champions only came at the sixth minute to half-time, when Marc Cucurella, fresh for sealing his move from Chelsea to Real Madrid, sent over a teasing cross that Ferran Torres turned onto the crossbar and Cabo Verde goalkeeper Vozinha got back on his feet to turn Mikel Oyarzabal’s looping header over the bar.
Even after the break, the Blue Sharks, were also able to hold back from the onslaught as they did in the first half, where Vozinho, managed to make another superlative save against Aymeric Laporte’s header just before half-time.
Despite the excitement from the crowd after he was introduced, Yamal, billed as one of the stars of the tournament, failed to create any magic with his first touch being the set-up of a decent opening for fellow substitute Mikel Merino which was too close to Vozinha.
In fact, Cabo Verde billed to take on Uruguay in Miami, nearly snatched a famous victory in the final minute of the 90 when Dani Borges planted a header too close to Unai Simon, who saved the occasion, to prevent the former world champions, billed to face Saudi Arabia in Atlanta on Sunday from humiliation.
After a 20-trophy haul, including the 2022-23 season – his best – where he led the club to a historic Continental Treble: the Premier League, the FA Cup, and the UEFA Champions League, Pep Guardiola indicated his intention to leave Manchester City at the end of the season.
Guardiola’s 20 trophy haul, within a 10-year period, included six Premier League titles and the club’s only Champions League, confirms his enviable place as a football manager, transcending Barcelona FC, Bayen Munich before berthing at the Etihad.
Beginning his highlight career at Barcelona in 2007, he had left the Catalonian Giants in June 2012 to berth at Allianz Arena, in Germany, in 2013 where he spent three years, enriching the club’s shelf with seven trophies before his exit in 2016 on his way to England.
Aston Villa’s visit to the Etihad on Sunday will be his final match in charge, although he is set to continue working for the City Football Group as a global ambassador.
“What a time we have had together!” Guardiola said in a club statement on Friday. Don’t ask me the reasons I’m leaving. There is no reason, but deep inside, I know it’s my time. Nothing is eternal; if it were, I would be here. Eternal will be the feeling, the people, the memories, the love I have for my Manchester City.”
News of the Catalans’ impending departure was first reported on Monday.
At that point, the former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss was tight-lipped on his future as City missed out on the Premier League title to Arsenal 24 hours later.
Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca, who previously worked on Guardiola’s staff at City, has been widely reported as the man set to take over at the Etihad.
The 55-year-old’s trophy haul also included three FA Cups, five League Cups, the Club World Cup, the UEFA Super Cup, and three Community Shields.
Guardiola arrived in England as already one of Europe’s most decorated coaches.
His four-year spell at boyhood club Barcelona between 2008 and 2012 captured admirers across the globe, winning two Champions Leagues and three La Liga titles.
He added three more league titles in three seasons at Bayern.
A similarly short spell was expected when City lured him to the Premier League.
But his influence has transformed the English game at all levels over the past 10 years.
Backed by the deep pockets of Abu Dhabi royalty, City have stepped out of the shadow of local rivals Manchester United to become the dominant force in the Premier League.
Guardiola’s brand of passing football has been copied from grassroots through to the elite level.
Even City’s competitors have turned to his disciples to catch up.
Arsenal’s 22-year wait to win the Premier League was ended by another of his former assistants, Mikel Arteta.
Liverpool boss Arne Slot has said his coaching philosophy was shaped by watching the City boss’ Barcelona team, while new Chelsea manager Xabi Alonso moved to Bayern in the final years of his playing career to gain the experience of working under Guardiola.
The timing of Guardiola’s exit comes with the outcome of an investigation into more than 100 alleged breaches by City of financial regulations still to be released.
First charged by the Premier League in February 2023, an independent commission hearing concluded in December 2024, with the case hanging over City’s achievements on the pitch ever since.
Manchester City, practically handed Arsenal its first Premier League title on Tuesday, ending a 22-year wait to lift the most prestigious silverware in English football with a 1-1 draw outing with Bournemouth.
As a result, the final march of The Gunners with Crystal Palace on Sunday would be a formality, given that they are five goals clear of City, who needed to win their match today to keep hope alive to lift the trophy once again should Arsenal drop a point.
But that was not the case as Man City did not make it past the Cherries, who fought to extend their unbeaten streak to 17 league games, a run which has secured European football for the first time in the club’s history.
After finishing second for the past three seasons, Mikel Arteta’s Gunners have finally made it over the line to end a six-year trophy drought.
Arsenal edged to the brink of the title with an unconvincing 1-0 win over already relegated Burnley on Monday, which took them five points clear of City.
The Gunners, who have set the pace for most of the season, have bounced back impressively since losing to City last month, winning four straight league matches without conceding a goal.
On Monday, just 48 hours after completing a domestic cup double with victory over Chelsea in the FA Cup final, City were rocked by widespread reports that manager Pep Guardiola will depart after a decade in charge at the end of the season.
Victory at Wembley on Saturday secured a 20th trophy of Guardiola’s glorious reign.
But he cannot add to his six Premier League titles when Aston Villa visit the Etihad on Sunday for what is expected to be his final match in charge.
Guardiola had warned that fatigue could cost City against a highly motivated Bournemouth, who still have Champions League qualification in their sights for next season.
As it stands, Bournemouth will be in the Europa League after ensuring they will finish no lower than seventh.
Sixth could be good enough for a place in the Champions League if Aston Villa finish fifth and win Wednesday’s Europa League final.
City fans forlornly chanted “One more year, Guardiola” in the early stages at the Vitality Stadium in a bid to convince their decorated coach to see out the final season of his contract.
But if the travelling fans hoped City’s players would be inspired to give Guardiola a glorious goodbye, they were left sorely disappointed.
Antoine Semenyo had the ball in the net on his return to Bournemouth but was flagged offside in City’s best moment of a flat first half.
The home side suddenly sprang to life to open the scoring in the 39th minute.
Eli Junior Kroupi curled a brilliant strike into the top corner to set a new record of 13 goals in a debut Premier League season for a teenager.
Nico O’Reilly wasted City’s best chance of a lifeline when he was denied by Djordje Petrovic just seconds into the second half.
Guardiola watched on pensively as his side’s title challenge fizzled out with a whimper.
After winning what was billed a title decider against Arsenal last month, City put the destiny of the title back in their rivals’ hands by drawing 3-3 at Everton.
Guardiola looks set to depart having failed to win the league for two consecutive seasons for the first time in his coaching career.
Rayan and David Brooks hit the post as Bournemouth should have secured victory in Andoni Iraola’s final home game in charge.
Erling Haaland’s equaliser deep into stoppage time came too little, too late to save City’s title challenge.
But it was a big goal for Liverpool, who now have a three-point cushion over Bournemouth and a goal difference advantage of six heading into the final day battle to secure a top-five finish and Champions League football.
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