19/09/2024

SPORTS THURSDAY | SEP 19, 2024

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Kane scores four

… as Bayern put nine past Zagreb

H ARRY KANE scored four goals, including three penalties, as Bayern Munich beat Dinamo Zagreb 9-2 at home yesterday – becoming the first team to score nine goals in a Champions League match. Kane opened the scoring from the spot after 19 minutes and a second half hattrick took him to 33 Champions League goals, the most of any Englishman as he overtook Wayne Rooney’s mark of 30. The comfortable scoreline masked a difficult period after the break when Bayern lost goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to injury and Zagreb rallied, scoring two goals in two minutes to cut the gap to 3-2 after five second half minutes. Former Crystal Palace forward Michael Olise scored a brace on his Champions League debut while Raphael Guerreiro, Leroy Sane and Leon Goretzka also grabbed goals for Bayern. “An amazing game – a bit of a crazy game,” Kane told DAZN . “It’s the first time I’ve scored three (penalties) in a game. That doesn’t happen at all really. “I practice my penalties, I have a good routine but to be honest I didn’t really know what to do for the third one, but thankfully I was able to put

Bayern were dominant early but it went unrewarded, with strikes by Jamal Musiala and Serge Gnabry struck off for narrow offsides, until VAR found a foul on Aleksandar Pavlovic, bringing Kane to the spot. The England captain converted the penalty, sending Ivan Nevistic the wrong way. Bayern then grabbed hold of the match with two goals in a five minute period late in the first half. Guerreiro slammed in an excellent chested assist from Musiala on 33 minutes, before Olise headed in a Joshua Kimmich corner for a goal on his Champions League debut. In the second half, Bruno Petkovic’s 48th-minute goal came out of nothing, the captain turning in Ronael Pierre-Gabriel’s pass. When Takuya Ogiwara scored on the counter just two minutes later, the home fans began to wonder if last season’s wobbles – when Bayern went trophyless for the first time in 11 seasons – were back. Kane was however next to score and his three strikes in 22 second half minutes brought his total with Bayern to 53 goals in 50 games, while a second for Olise and goals from Sane and Goretzka secured a dominant win for the home side. – AFP

it away.” Kane said Bayern “got away with” their second half lapse but “against the top opposition we can get punished for that, so we need to sort that out”. Bayern boss Vincent Kompany toasted a record breaking win on his debut as a Champions League coach. “I’m just happy for the lads. They scored the goals, I didn’t score any,” a smiling Kompany told DAZN . The former Manchester City captain praised his side’s mentality, saying: “We conceded two goals but we stayed calm. It’s not ideal – I know already what happened and how we need to work on it. “We need to have more control but that will come.” The six-time Champions League winners had won every one of their past 20 opening matches in the competition dating back to 2002-03. The score is one goal better than Bayern’s record 8-2 win over Barcelona in the quarterfinals of the competition in 2020. The big win brought more than bragging rights for the German giants, with goal difference likely to be even more important under the new Champions League single league format.

Emery dedicates Villa win to Shaw

Ű BY JONATHAN VEAL

UNAI EMERY (above) dedicated Aston Villa’s debut Champions League win over Young Boys to former striker Gary Shaw. Villa’s return to the top table of European football was overshadowed by Monday’s death of Shaw, a golden boy of the club’s past success at this level when he helped them to European Cup glory in 1982. Emery wanted his current crop before the game to win it for Shaw and they listened as they began life in the modernised competition in style thanks to goals from Youri Tielemans, Jacob Ramsey and Amadou Onana. The Spaniard said: “We try to follow. Forty-two years they achieved winning the Champions League and winning the trophy. “Of course we want to dedicate this victory to Gary Shaw, his family and all of the Aston Villa family. We want to try to get in our way and follow what that team achieved.” Villa fan William tweeted: “The last time @AVFCOfficial won in the top European competition, it was the month before I was born. Let’s hope tonight is the first step towards another European adventure! “My thoughts this evening are also with Villa legend Gary Shaw’s friends and family following his passing yesterday.” Goals from Tielemans and Ramsey in the space of 11 first half minutes gave Villa control after Young Boys had started strongly. Onana killed the game in the final 10 minutes to give Villa the perfect start. “We were adapting at the beginning to the plastic pitch, it’s very different,” Emery added. “We were losing some balls, they were attacking. “We defended well and Emiliano (Martinez) was doing his work. We were feeling better on the pitch, getting in the box and creating some chances and scored from a set-piece then we were feeling confident. “But it’s very, very important how we got the win – by respecting the opponent and being responsible. The players were mature, organised and imposing throughout the game.” – The Independent

Mbappe strikes on Madrid European debut

KYLIAN MBAPPE scored on his first Champions League appearance for Real Madrid as the holders started their trophy defence with a 3-1 win over Stuttgart yesterday. Antonio Rudiger headed home in the 83rd minute for the record 15 time champions after Deniz Undav had levelled Mbappe’s opener just seconds into the second half. Endrick, another Champions League debutant, wrapped up Madrid’s win with a low drive in stoppage time. Stuttgart had the better of an entertaining opening period but Carlo Ancelotti’s team have a habit of grinding out victories when up against the wall and they took the three points despite the visitors’ impressive efforts. “We suffered at

selected fullback Dani Carvajal in central defence with Eder Militao not fit enough to start, while Jude Bellingham and Aurelien Tchouameni returned from injury to play in midfield. Madrid have lacked a certain balance after stalwart Toni Kroos retired in the summer and the game lurched from end to end under the Santiago Bernabeu lights. Bundesliga side Stuttgart had more of the ball and the most dangerous chances in the first half, with Enzo Millot heavily involved. The French midfielder dragged an early shot wide and forced Thibaut Courtois to tip over his dangerous effort from range, the best of a handful of saves by the Belgian. At the other end Mbappe had two shots saved by Alexander Nubel as he sought his first Champions League goal for Madrid. Rodrygo had a shot narrowly deflected over while Madrid were awarded a penalty when Maximilian Mittelstadt appeared to catch Rudiger with a clumsy swipe, but the referee cancelled the decision after a VAR referral. Courtois thwarted Angelo Stiller and Undav hit the crossbar for Stuttgart. Just 21 seconds after the interval Mbappe found the net, teed up unselfishly by Rodrygo. Endrick made no mistake to drill home from the edge of the box at the death after Ancelotti sent 18-year-old Brazil striker on for the final 10 minutes. – AFP

“I know I can do more, each game I feel better and now I’m scoring goals, and I’m happy here,” Mbappe told Movistar . “(The game was) hard, but it’s the Champions League – it’s always difficult, but we won at home, we won the first game,” he continued. “What we know is that the Champions League has changed and it’s important to win quickly to see if we can qualify quickly or not.” Ancelotti

the start because we lost a lot of duels… the important thing was to win and we won, so everything’s good,” said Madrid coach Ancelotti. “You always have to fight at the start of the season, when you aren’t at your best.” Mbappe reached five goals for the season in seven appearances across all competitions by opening the scoring when he raced into space at the start of the second half.

Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe celebrates after scoring his team’s first goal yesterday. – AFPPIX

SHORTS

continued and players began to take their second efforts. Then, at 15-15, Timothy Castagne ballooned over and Ledson sent Steven Benda the wrong way to the delight of the Deepdale faithful. “I’ve never been involved in a shootout like that,” said Preston boss Paul Heckingbottom. “As it wore on, eight-all, nine-all, it made me more determined to win it because of the effort and commitment put in to get to penalties. “We were the team, certainly in injury time, trying to get the game to penalties. It was a great atmosphere. We’ll look forward to the draw but we have to park it, we have other things to focus on now.”

Premier League side “I’m proud of the guys, it showed they’re ready to contribute and fight for this club.” Preston win marathon shoot-out RYAN LEDSON scored the winning penalty as Preston won an incredible shootout 16-15 to dump Fulham out of the Carabao Cup. After the game finished 1-1 with Reiss Nelson cancelling out Ledson’s opener, both teams were ruthless from the spot with the first 16 spot kicks all finding the net. Jorge Cuenca and Kaine Kesler-Hayden then both had shots saved before the scoring

Glasner said:“Who’s a better player than Eze? For me he’s absolutely top, if he was luckier this season he would have five or six goals. “He’s always dangerous because he has the quality and ability at 1-1, he’s such an unbelievable finisher, in some situations he can improve, he’s a guy who can always score and he’s someone who everyone likes. “This is why he’s on the pitch because he’s able to score goals.” QPR boss Marti Cifuentes was proud of his side’s efforts in west London. He said: “We’re here to win matches and today we didn’t. The feeling was despite the slow start, we can put pressure and challenge a

Glasner praises ‘unbelievable’ Eze OLIVER GLASNER lauded Eberechi Eze after he scored and assisted for Crystal Palace on his Loftus Road return in a 2-1 victory over Queens Park Rangers in the third round of the Carabao Cup. The England international, who joined Palace from QPR in 2020, was welcomed with a shirt before kickoff as he set-up Eddie Nketiah for his first goal for the club. Eze starred in the second half and his 64th minute strike, after Sam Field’s earlier equaliser, helped Palace book their place in the fourth round.