Sports

Everton End Barren Run With 2-1 Win Over Arsenal

Published

2 years ago

December 7, 2021

Everton struck twice in the final 11 minutes to end an eight-game winless run with a 2-1 victory over Arsenal that lifts the pressure on manager Rafael Benitez.

Another night of frustration looked in store for the Toffees as Richarlison had two goals marginally ruled out by VAR for offside either side of Martin Odegaard’s opener for the Gunners.

But Richarlison was not to be denied a third time when he headed home before Demarai Gray smashed home a thunderous strike in stoppage time for a deserved win.

A planned supporter protest for the 27th minute to mark 27 years without silverware for Everton did not result in a mass walkout and the home crowd played their part in a stirring fightback.

Benitez was not a popular appointment among the Everton fans due to his history as a former manager of local rivals Liverpool.

A 4-1 defeat by the Reds in their last outing increased calls for the Spaniard to be sacked, but his position at the club was strengthened over the weekend as it was sporting director Marcel Brands who departed.

There was far more for cause for optimism among the crowd at Goodison Park as they opened up an eight-point cushion over the relegation zone and climbed up to 12th in the table.

By contrast, it was another damaging night for Arsenal’s chances of returning to the Champions League next season as they suffered a third consecutive away defeat to remain four points adrift of the top four.

Everton were lucky not to go down to 10 men midway through a tepid first half when Ben Godfrey’s stamp onto the face of Takehiro Tomiyasu went unpunished by VAR.

Richarlison brought the game to life when his header found the far corner from Andros Townsend’s free-kick, but had just strayed offside.

Moments later, Arsenal had a half-time lead rather than a deficit as Kieran Tierney’s cross perfectly picked out Odegaard to steer into the bottom corner.

There was no sense of Everton’s players giving up on their manager after the break as they came flying out the traps and thought they had levelled when Richarlison smashed home at the near post from Abdoulaye Doucoure’s pass.

However, again he was denied by VAR for the finest of margins.

It was third time lucky for the Brazilian 11 minutes from time as he sent a looping header over Aaron Ramsdale after Gray’s shot rattled the Arsenal crossbar.

Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta had dropped Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from his starting line-up and did not even introduce the club captain with his first change to his forward line as Eddie Nketiah replaced Gabriel Martinelli.

That decision came back to haunt the former Everton midfielder as Nketiah headed onto the post with the goal gaping six minutes from time.

Two minutes into stoppage time, Gray produced the moment of quality that could turn his side’s season as he charged towards goal and unleashed an unstoppable drive in off the post.

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Sports

Courtois Can Return Next Week – Ancelotti

Published

4 hours ago

April 25, 2024

The Pledge

Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said Thursday that injured goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois could return from injury as soon as next week.

The Belgian international has missed the entire season with a knee ligament injury and suffered a further setback in March which required another knee operation.

Real Madrid face Bayern Munich in the Champions League semi-finals on Tuesday and then Cadiz in La Liga on the following Saturday.

“He’s well, I think he will be available to travel with us next week (to Munich) and he can play against Cadiz,” Ancelotti told a news conference.

Andriy Lunin has won Ancelotti’s trust as Madrid’s goalkeeper in recent months, ahead of Kepa Arrizabalaga, on loan from Chelsea.

Ukrainian stopper Lunin saved two penalties against Manchester City last week to help Real Madrid reach the Champions League semi-finals.

The coach did not include Jude Bellingham in the squad to face Real Sociedad on Friday in La Liga, with Ancelotti explaining the England international had a “stomach problem”.

Madrid boast an 11-point lead at the top of the table ahead of Barcelona, who confirmed this week that coach Xavi Hernandez will stay at the club next season.

Xavi had declared in January he would leave this summer.

“Xavi has done a very good job at Barcelona,” said Ancelotti.

“He knows the club very well, it seems to me to be the right decision that he stays.”

AFP

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Sports

Iheanacho Won’t Extend Contract With Leicester -Jones

Published

7 hours ago

April 25, 2024

The Pledge

Kelechi Iheanacho will leave Leicester City this summer, according to transfer insider, Dean Jones.

Iheanacho’s contract with Leicester City will expire in June and there has been no talks of an extension.

The forward has also failed to feature regularly for the Foxes this season.

The 27-year-old has scored six goals in 25 league appearances for Enzo Maresca’s side.

Jones expects the Nigeria international to leave Leicester City on a free transfer at the end of the season.
“It looks like he will leave Leicester, and at the moment, the most likely path for him to take is to Turkey.

“Trabzonspor are one of the teams for him, and these sorts of options might have to become very real, even though it seems to be early in his career,” Jones told GIVEMESPORT.

“From a Leicester point of view, keeping him doesn’t seem a wise move as he is one of the higher earners in that side, and he has only started ten games in a season when they are going for a Championship promotion.”

Iheanacho joined Leicester City from Manchester City in 2017

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Sports

I’ll Utilise My Opportunity If Invited To Super Eagles. -Akor

Published

7 hours ago

April 25, 2024

The Pledge

Montpellier striker, Jerome Akor Adams is hopeful of breaking into the Super Eagles team in the near future.

Adams was widely tipped to get an invitation to the Super Eagles after making a good start to life at Montpellier earlier in the season.

The forward, who joined the Ligue 1 outfit from Norwegian outfit, Lillestrom last summer, scored seven goals in his first 10 games for the club.

The 24-year-old has not hit target for Montpellier since November 2023.

Despite his goal drought, Adams has continued to feature regularly for his club.

The striker believed he will get the chance to make his mark on the international scene soon.

“We all have our place and we are privileged to have so many good strikers and so many good players,” Adams told BBC’s Oluwashina Okeleji.

“So, when the time comes, I’ll take the opportunity. It’s a dream for every Nigerian kid, which I am one of.”