19/09/2025

SPORTS FRIDAY | SEPT 19, 2025

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Swansea stun Forest in Carabao Cup

Man Utd’s manager, Ruben Amorim. – REUTERSPIC

SWANSEA scored twice in stoppage time to complete a stunning comeback and knock Premier League side Nottingham Forest out of the Carabao Cup with a 3-2 win in Wales. Ange Postecoglou could only watch on in horror as his side surrendered a two-goal half time lead, courtesy of Igor Jesus’ double, and fluffed a host of big chances after the break to allow battling Swansea to come back into the third-round tie with three second-half strikes. Cameron Burgess notched the first brace of his career either side of Zan Vipotnik’s leveller as the 2013 winners advanced to the last 16. Having seen his new troops end up on the wrong end of a 3-0 drubbing by Arsenal at the Emirates in his first game in charge last weekend, Postecoglou watched on as Jesus, the club’s £10 million (RM58m) summer signing, marked his first start with two first-half goals to put his side in charge. The Brazil international was one of eight

Postecoglou. “I think the lads got a bit comfortable in that moment and you’ve got to know the warning signs. “Players just thought it would naturally finish that way and we’ve paid a heavy price for that. “We need to improve.” The former Spurs boss had promised this would be the night fans started to see his imprint on the side he inherited from Nuno Espirito Santo at the City Ground. Instead, Forest conceded three for a second game in a row under Postecoglou, who added: “Tonight was a great opportunity for us to progress in a cup and give ourselves an opportunity to that success - and to let it slip is hugely disappointing. “But it doesn’t change anything - we understand some of the things we have to work on.” – The Independent/Agencies

debutants thrown into the cup tie by Postecoglou and he had four more summer recruits on the bench. One of them, the £26 million (RM150m) French Olympic star Arnaud Kalimuendo, replaced Jesus at half-time. Kalimuendo had a third Forest goal ruled out for offside and James McAtee was guilty of blasting over from six yards, while Callum Hudson-Odoi also had a shot brilliantly saved by goalkeeper Andy Fisher. But Swansea came storming back as Burgess headed home the first from a corner and then Vipotnik made it five goals in five games when he speared a Liam Cullen cross past John Victor before acting skipper Burgess, who joined from Ipswich in the summer, smashed home the dramatic winner. “We had to finish them off and we had plenty of opportunities to do that, and a couple of decisions didn’t go our way,” said Forest boss

Blues get Kane lesson Maresca hopes Chelsea can learn from mistakes and ‘build something special’ C HELSEA head coach Enzo Maresca told his players they can “build something special” by taking the les sons from their 3-1 defeat to Bayern Munich. Ű BY ROBERT O’CONNOR Bayern’s Harry Kane (right) vies with Chelsea’s Tosin Adarabioyo before scoring his team’s third goal during their Champions League match. – AFPPIC

Amorim given three games to avoid the sack at United RUBEN AMORIM is facing a critical period as Manchester United head coach, with the next three matches effectively determining his future at Old Trafford. The Red Devils have had a disappointing start to the Premier League season, securing just four points from their first four games and languishing in 14th place. Since taking the reins at United 10 months ago, Amorim has managed only eight victories in 31 League matches, leading to some senior players in the dressing room turning on him. Despite assurances from the club’s top brass that they fully support Amorim and have no plans for a managerial shake-up, it’s understood that the situation will be reviewed after the upcoming trio of fixtures. United are set to face Chelsea at home this Sunday (12.30am Malaysian time), followed by an away game against Brentford and a clash with newly-promoted Sunderland at Old Trafford, all before the international break. Amorim is acutely aware of the mounting pressure following a lacklustre start to the season, especially given last year’s dismal performance, which saw United finish 15th – their worst League standing in over half a century. The first match post-international break sees United pitted against reigning champions and fierce rivals Liverpool. If there’s no improvement in form or results before this daunting trip to Anfield, the club’s hierarchy may feel compelled to consider a change at the helm. Despite private assurances of faith in Amorim, it’s worth noting that similar promises were made to Erik ten Hag before he was abruptly dismissed just nine games into the previous season. The upcoming League match against Sunderland will be United’s eighth of the season, and manager Amorim is fully aware that his position will remain under scrutiny unless he can steer the team towards a winning streak. Potential successors to Amorim include Crystal Palace’s Oliver Glasner, former England manager Gareth Southgate, Fulham’s Marco Silva, and Bournemouth’s Andoni Iraola. Mauricio Pochettino, the ex-Tottenham boss who is currently leading the USA national team and was previously linked with the United job when Ten Hag was appointed, is also considered a potential candidate for the Old Trafford hot seat should Amorim be dismissed. – Express Newspapers

bold attacking statements, but in the end it was Bayern’s greater experience of this competition that told. The visitors switched off for the opening goal, Michael Olise was given far too much space on the right from a drop ball and scampered round Joao Pedro with ease, sending over a cross from which Chalobah scored an own goal. Moises Caicedo was clumsy in hauling Kane to the ground as the England captain doubled Bayern’s lead from the penalty spot seven minutes later. Chelsea might have wilted at that point, but instead showed a renewed determination which was admirable from a young side playing inside an intimidating cauldron created at the Allianz Arena. Palmer was given room to break through the centre and sniffed his chance, playing a one-two with Malo Gusto before finishing brilliantly into the top corner. Maresca felt Bayern should have been reduced to 10 man at that point for a kick by defender Jonathan Tah on Pedro in the build-up. “The referee said to me it was not hard or aggressive enough,” he said. “So to give red card, he needs to see the blood? For me there is not any doubt.” The fight was finally extinguished from Chelsea when Kane added his second from Gnabry’s through pass just pass the hour, but the visitors could head back to London with optimism. Bayern boss Vincent Kompany praised the all-round contribution of Kane after his side’s fine start. “I don’t have much to say about all the things everyone can see,” he said. “The main thing I can say is watch his work off the ball. “Watch him work, watch him recover. “The main thing for him is that if he spends that energy, he gets his reward.” – The Independent

It was a first Champions League outing in nearly two and a half years for the Blues and despite gifting the Bundesliga champions two goals in the first half, there was much to be positive about. Harry Kane showed his experience and class with two well-taken goals, one of them a penalty, whilst there was an own goal from Trevoh Chalobah as fortune went against Maresca’s young side. Cole Palmer scored with an excellent finish to make it 2-1, the clearest sign of Chelsea’s ability to compete at this level after making the step up from the Conference League. “We were in the game until the end,” said Maresca. “It’s very difficult to think to come here and control the game for 95 minutes. This is not reality. “You cannot commit mistakes in the way we have done. “But I just said to the players that I think we learn a lot and build something special from this defeat. “In terms of experience, between them and us I think there was a huge difference because of the games they played in the Champions League, because of the age.

“The way we competed for part of the game, we were very good, but t h e mistakes we

can

learn

from.” C h e l s e a contributed to an open first half in which both sides looked to make