18/09/2025

SPORTS THURSDAY | SEPT 18, 2025

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Brentford, Palace survive penalty shoot-outs

BRENTFORD and Crystal Palace survived League Cup penalty shoot-outs to reach the last 16 as giant-killers Grimsby extended their fairytale run yestersday. Keith Andrews’ Brentford drew 1-1 with Aston Villa before winning 4-2 on penalties in west London, while Palace were held to a 1-1 draw by second tier Millwall prior to their 4-2 victory in the shoot-out. Harvey Elliott, signed on deadline day on loan from Liverpool, scored Villa’s first goal of the season on his full debut thanks to an error from Bees goalkeeper Hakon Valdimarsson. But after Aaron Hickey scored a spectacular equaliser for Brentford, Valdimarsson made amends by saving from John McGinn and Matty Cash in the shoot-out.

penalty shoot-out we lost so we are disappointed,” Emery said. “We have to get strong defensively and offensively and get in combination good performances. Today is one part of the way. Not with the result we wanted but we have to accept it. “There is still a lot of work to do, a lot of practice and matches. I think we are watching some improvement. Not enough but a lot of things will be positive.” At Selhurst Park, FA Cup holders Palace survived a scare after Camiel Neghli and Josh Coburn missed golden opportunities to put Millwall ahead.

clear a corner. The Lions equalised through Ryan Leonard’s glancing header in stoppage-time before Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta produced a candidate for miss of the season when he somehow blazed wide from six yards. The south London derby turned Palace’s way in the shoot-out as debutant goalkeeper Walter Benitez saved spot-kicks from Tristan Crama and Aidomo Emakhu. Fourth tier Grimsby reached the League Cup fourth round for the first time in 24 years with a 1 0 win at Championship strugglers Sheffield Wednesday. Jaze Kabia headed the 49th minute winner from a corner as Grimsby extended their run in the competition following a stunning penalty shoot out victory over Manchester United in the previous round. – AFP/The Independent

Mikkel Damsgaard rolled in the winning penalty as Brentford advanced to add to the problems for Villa boss Unai Emery, whose side draw a blank in their first four Premier League matches. “We scored one goal, positive. We drew. And the

Palace defender Chris Richards netted with a close-range strike in the 72nd minute when Millwall were unable to

17/09/2025 (WED)

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Aston Villa’s Ezri Konsa (right) in action with Brentford’s Fabio Carvalho during the Carabao Cup 3rd round match yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

Draw Date: 17/09/25 (Wed)

Draw No: 5969/25 Venue: WISMA GENTING, KL

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Reunion at the Etihad ‘Genius’ De Bruyne leads Napoli in emotional return to Manchester

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K EVIN DE BRUYNE will return to Manchester City tomorrow (3am Malaysian time) with the wind in his sails after a fast start with Napoli, who return to the Champions League full of confidence fol lowing a perfect start to the Serie A sea son. De Bruyne heads back to the Etihad stadium with two goals from his first three Napoli matches and a starring role in the Italian champions’ bid to make a mark in Europe’s elite club competition after securing a fourth league title last season. At 34 years old, and after coming through a series of hamstring injures, De Bruyne looks in great nick ahead of what will likely be an emotional return to City, where, over the course of a decade, he won six Premier League titles and in 2023 the Champions League. Antonio Conte has had to shuffle the deck to accomodate one of the best play ers of this century, carving out for De Bruyne a creative midfield role which the former Italy coach hopes won’t have a negative impact on last season’s star player Scott McTominay. Napoli blitzed Fiorentina in the early stages of Saturday’s 3-1 win in Florence with former Manchester United man McTominay ostensibly pushed out to the left but free to attack as De Bruyne – who netted the opening goal from the penalty spot – provided continuous threat with his passing range. “The role that we’re creating for Kevin is perfect for him because he loves having the ball at his feet,” Conte said after Saturday’s 3-1 win at Fiorentina. “He’s a bit of genius. We’re trying to give a new role that helps him give us what he’s capable of giving us. He’s got such great quality, he sees situations that others rarely see.”

RM100,000.00

Conte described tomorrow’s clash as “the moment of truth” for both him and his team, with City’s thumping win in Sunday’s Manchester derby showcasing everything Pep Guardiola’s team have to offer despite a rocky recent run. A former Premier League winner him self with Chelsea, Conte has been criti cised throughout his career for a lack of flexibility and a perceived incapability to deal with the rigours of European compe tition. But he has adapted his style since tak ing over at Napoli and is keenly aware of the challenge facing his players both in Manchester and throughout the league phase which has entered its second sea son. “We’re going to start playing every three days and it’s going to be difficult,” Conte admitted. “We’re going there as pupils to learn from the masters, me included, in the hope that the pupil may one day beat the master.” Playing in Conte’s favour is backing from the club’s combative but financially careful owner Aurelio De Laurentiis, who has invested after receiving hefty fees for Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen. Starting centreback Amir Rrahmani is out injured but another new signing in Sam Beukema stepped in admirably on Saturday, even netting a goal on his debut. Another reinforcement in Rasmus Hojlund got off to a scoring start in place of injured Romelu Lukaku, while other judicious signings like giant Serbia goal keeper Vanja Milinkovic-Savic and Netherlands forward Noa Lang have fur ther bolstered a squad guided by a revital ised De Bruyne. – AFP

RM140,000.00

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1+3D Jackpot 2 RM277,955.40 won on 14/9/25!

10,016,144.90

126,684.47