Sport
Mo Salah scores as Liverpool draw 1-all with Midtjylland
Mohamed Salah became Liverpool’s record Champions League goalscorer as the Reds completed their group-stage campaign with a draw at Midtjylland.
Jurgen Klopp’s side were already assured of top spot coming into the game and they began in perfect fashion as Egypt international Salah ran clear and poked home after just 55 seconds.
It was the quickest goal the team had scored in the Champions League and on a night of numerous records for the much-changed visitors, Salah’s strike was his 22nd in the competition, surpassing club legend Steven Gerrard.
Summer signing Diogo Jota forced Midtjylland goalkeeper Jesper Hansen into smart saves via a flicked effort and another drive from the angle, while Divock Origi side-footed wide from an unmarked position.
Evander rattled the crossbar with a thunderous strike as the hosts piled on the pressure in the second half and they claimed a deserved point through Alexander Scholz’s confident penalty.
Serie A side Atalanta clinched second place in Group H with a 1-0 win at Ajax, who drop into the Europa League, while Danish champions Midtjylland finish bottom. Liverpool have been blighted by injuries to key first-team players this season, but have made light of the situation as a patched-up side hung on to extend their run to one defeat in their last 13 games in all competitions.
That result against Atalanta was their only loss in the Champions League this term, as six-time European champions Liverpool collected four victories and a draw in the group stage.
With progression to the knockout stages already secured, Klopp took the opportunity to field Liverpool’s youngest starting XI for a Champions League game, captained by marauding full-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, as well as featuring 19-year-old academy products Rhys Williams and Leighton Clarkson, neither of whom looked out of place.
There was also a second-half debut for French teenager Billy Koumetio who, at 18 years and 25 days, became Liverpool’s youngest player in the European Cup.
Goalkeeper Caoimhin Kelleher made a sharp shot at the near post to deny Sory Kaba and Erik Sviatchenko’s header late on, but the Irishman missed out on back-to-back clean sheets in the competition by bringing down Anders Dreyer in the box, with Scholz converting the resulting penalty.
The Reds may have felt disappointed at having the spot-kick given against them as the assistant referee initially flagged for offside, but the referee awarded the penalty after watching the replay on the pitchside monitor and subsequent replays showed Dreyer was onside.
The video assistant referee played a role once again, denying both sides winning goals – Midtjylland for offside and Liverpool for a Sadio Mane handball – but the night belonged to Salah, who picked off a loose backpass and scuffed home a finish early on to take his tally to 106 goals in just 170 games for Liverpool.
Slow starters Midtjylland – the stats
- Liverpool have earned 13 points from their six Champions League games this season (won four, drawn one, lost one); only in 2008-09 (14) have they earned more in a single group stage in the competition.
- Midtjylland are the first team in Champions League history to concede a goal within the opening minute on more than one occasion in the same season in the competition (also against Ajax in November).
- Midtjylland attempted 20 shots against Liverpool; it was the most they have had in a single Champions League match, and the most faced by Liverpool in a group-stage game in the competition since November 2014 versus Real Madrid (27).
- Alexander Scholz became the first player to score more than one Champions League goal for FC Midtjylland. His goal means that two of the club’s four goals in the competition have been penalties (also Awer Mabil v Ajax).
Source – BBC News
Soccer fans in Nigeria have expressed their confidence that the Super Eagles will win the Africa Cup of Nations tournament.
The Nigerian team qualified for the finals after defeating South Africa in the semi-final round of the competition. They face hosts Ivory Coast for the last game of the tournament today.
This will be the second match between both teams. The elephants of Ivory Coast suffered a 1- 0 defeat in their encounter with the Super Eagles at the group stage. Nigerian soccer fans say they are confident that the team will also win the final game.
Moshood Olatunji says, “We’re taking the cup. We’re not bragging and we’re not being pretentious and we’re not underestimating any group. But I think the Nigerian team started slow and they really worked as a team. The thing they had that I could see was the teamwork. They play for each other, they’re not playing for the coach, they’re actually playing for each other as a team. And I think if they carry that attitude into the finals, there’s no stopping us.”
Maxwell Ogbaje says, “I’m not surprised that we got to where we are today. We actually have a strong team. We have been at our best. It’s not just by chance, people see it that the one zero, one zero has always been a lucky thing, but it’s not. There’s actually good effort from the team that has brought that success.”
“Let them keep doing what they are doing especially the back 5. It’s a fantastic tactic that the coach Peseiro has been able to knock the boys with, so they should do what they do. They should be tight behind and they should take their chances. They should hit them on the counter and I believe if they are able to do that and they stay together, then Nigeria will be able to carry the day,” says Sam Maimagani.
It’s the eighth time Nigeria has made it to the finals in the Africa Cup of Nations and the 4th for Ivory Coast.
Nigeria is already a three-time winner of the Africa Cup of Nations and a triumph in today’s encounter will make it the 4th in 10 years.
A win for Ivory Coast will make them a three-time champion of the AFCON. Nigeria’s President Bola Tinubu is expected to be at the game today to cheer the Super Eagles to victory.
Source: SABC
In other news – Phelo Bala’s father has passed away
His death was announced by his stepson and musician Loyiso Bala on Saturday, 10 February on his social media platforms. Jafta died this morning in the hospital.
The Bala Family is deeply saddened to announce the passing of our beloved father, Sebenzile Jafta. He departed this morning. Read more
Bayern Munich leapfrogged rivals Borussia Dortmund to clinch their 11th consecutive Bundesliga title in a last-day drama in German football on Saturday, May 27.
In a climactic season finale, Bayern Munich ended up celebrating an unexpected title win while Dortmund’s dream of their first league trophy since 2012 was left in tatters following a 2-2 draw with Mainz.
Dortmund were leading by two points before their last match for the season but were held to a 2-2 draw at home by Mainz on Saturday, allowing Bayern to finish in first place with a goal difference.
RB Leipzig and sensational Union Berlin are third and fourth respectively and will also compete in the Champions League next season.
Hertha Berlin and Schalke 04 have been relegated, while VfB Stuttgart will go into the relegation playoff.
In other news – Celine Dion cancels 2023-2024 shows over health
Last year Celine Dion revealed that she was suffering from a rare neurological disorder. The Pop icon on Friday canceled all her remaining shows scheduled for 2023-2024, saying she was not strong enough to tour as she battles a rare neurological disorder.
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India is looking to a new generation of talented young cricketers led by teenage batter Shafali Verma to propel them to a first Women’s T20 World Cup title this month. Long-serving skipper Mithali Raj and record-breaking fast bowler Jhulan Goswami, trailblazers for women’s cricket in India, both retired last year.
New captain Harmanpreet Kaur said both players are still on hand to give advice, but it is time to look forward. Whenever we need they are always available to us, that’s what you expect from senior players,” the 33-year-old told a recent press conference.
“Nobody can fill their places, but the young girls who are getting the chances are doing well. One of the players who has grabbed her chance is Verma, an attacking opening batter who led India to victory in the inaugural U19 T20 World Cup in South Africa last month.
The 19-year-old will be back on familiar ground for the T20 World Cup, which is again in South Africa. It starts on February 10 and India are chasing a breakthrough first title, having been runners-up behind hosts Australia in the last edition, in 2020. Their first match is against arch-rivals Pakistan on February 12 in Cape Town.
Verma made her international debut at the age of just 15 and was in the team that reached the T20 World Cup final in 2020.
She also played in the one-day World Cup and was a member of the Indian side which took silver at last year’s Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
The youngster looks up to big-hitting England batsman Liam Livingstone for inspiration and considers Indian great Sachin Tendulkar a role model. After captaining India to victory in the U19 World Cup, Verma said: “This is just the beginning.”
“When I entered the Under-19s, I only focused on winning the Under-19 Cup and we have won that today,” ESPNCricinfo quoted her as saying. I will look to take this winning confidence with me and win the senior World Cup.”
Besides Verma, the India team also includes Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh, Deepti Sharma and Renuka Singh. The women’s game is making inroads in the cricket-mad country, with the inaugural Women’s Premier League set for March, ahead of the men’s IPL.
Last month, India’s cricket board auctioned off five women’s IPL teams for $572.5 million. The new generation “are ready to be the representatives of the modern generation of women’s cricketers”, cricket journalist Sharda Ugra told AFP.
“The women’s IPL is going to start and they are the perfect representation of the kind of Indian women cricketers that belong to the T20 generation. They have the right mindset and they are very, very talented.
Source: eNCA
In other news – Idols SA canceled after 21 years
Idols SA is reportedly coming to an end after 21 years of entertainment. Phil Mphela, an entertainment commentator announced the latest development about the show on Twitter.
After 21 years, #IdolsSA will be bowing out of our screens. The show has been renewed for a 19th season, which will be the show’s final season,” he wrote. Learn more