21/03/2026

SPORTS SATURDAY | MAR 21, 2026

/thesuntelegram FOLLOW / Malaysian Paper

ON TELEGRAM m RAM

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Proud Pereira

Ű BY SUNNY BADWAL

N OTTINGHAM FOREST boss Vitor Pereira hailed the spirit and character his side showed in their penalty shoot out victory over Midtjylland in the Europa League last-16 second-leg tie in Denmark. Forest came into the return leg trailing 1-0 after defeat at the City Ground last week but had their rewards for a completely dominant first half when Nicolas Dominguez headed them in front. Captain Ryan Yates then produced a stunning strike to put Forest ahead 2-1 on aggregate before Martin Erlic pulled the Danish side back level to send it into extra time and penalties. However, Midtjylland hit the post twice in the shoot-out through Cho Gue-sung and Aral Simsir before Edward Chilufya slipped and skied his effort, while Morgan Gibbs-White, Ibrahim Sangare and Neco Williams all hit the target to make it 3-0 on penalties to Forest. Pereira made nine changes ahead of a crunch Premier League relegation clash with Tottenham on Sunday but believes yesterday’s performance

Forest overturn first-leg deficit to edge Midtjylland on penalties

other. Yates said: “I’m buzzing we’re through. Penalties always nervy, always tough, but the lads stepped up and we’re really pleased. “Considering the changes, it shows the strength in depth we have, the spirit. At this stage of the season it’s about showing that together ness, fighting for each other. “A lot of lads played today who haven’t had many minutes and a lot of them took their oppor tunities. “That winning feeling is special. You want to keep that momentum going. Momentum at this stage of the season is huge. “We need to recover well, focus on Tottenham and hopefully we can keep building and go and get those wins.” – The Independent SHORTS Rosenior reveals action taken over Chelsea ‘mole LIAM R O S E N IO R has said that Chelsea have “dealt with” the apparent dressing room mole who has been leaking team news to the media. Information around Rosenior’s starting XI for both Champions League legs against Paris Saint-Germain appeared in French outlets several hours before the matches. And while it is understood that the culprit is not a member of the playing squad, the head coach confirmed in his press conference to preview tomorrow’s Premier League trip to Everton that they have been identified. “We know (who it was),” Rosenior said. “It’s not come from any place of malicious intent, to me or the team. We know where it’s come from and we’ve dealt with the situation.” Before Tuesday night’s second leg at Stamford Bridge, which PSG won 3-0, the entire Chelsea team was revealed in France with reports also including details that Jorrel Hato and Trevoh Chalobah had been working together as a centreback pairing during their final training session, which was behind closed doors, on Monday. Those stories came following reports that Wesley Fofana had been sidelined by another injury. Tudor hit with FA charge TOTTE N HAM interim head coach Igor Tudor has been charged with misconduct by the Football Association following his controver sial comments after the club’s 2-1 defeat at Fulham. Tudor’s frustration arose from Harry Wilson’s sixth-minute opener at Craven Cottage on March 1. He contended that Raul Jimenez pushed Spurs centreback Radu Dragusin in the build-up to the goal, which originated from a Kenny Tete cross. In his post-match press conference, an irate Tudor accused Jimenez of “cheating”. He then described match official Thomas Bramall as a “home team referee” to BBC’s Match of the Day , remarks that prompted the FA charge. An FA statement confirmed: “Tottenham Hotspur’s Igor Tudor has been charged with misconduct following comments that he made after their game against Fulham on March 1 in the Premier League. “The manager allegedly acted in an improper manner during a post-match inter view by making comments that imply bias and/or question integrity and/or are person ally offensive in relation to a match official.” Spurs and Tudor have until Monday to reply to the charge. The loss at Fulham was Tudor’s second game in charge of Tottenham after he was brought in to replace Thomas Frank.

players, with team spirit, character, and we showed everything today. “I don’t have any doubts we have the quality and will compete to achieve our targets, for sure. I want to thank our supporters because today they deserved to keep going in the Europa League.” Forest won for the first time since a 3-0 away victory over Fenerbahce in the playoff round in Pereira’s first game in charge. Yates has not found himself in the starting fold too many times this campaign but proved his worth to the team with a goal in normal time and thought he won it in extra-time before the goal was ruled out for offside. He insists the squad are fighting for each

shows the quality of Forest’s squad. He told TNT Sports : “We are very happy and we proved we came here to compete. We have good players, talented players. We played fantas tic in the first half. “I’m very happy because we did everything, tried everything and I have a chance to balance the energy of the players to prepare the next game. “Fantastic. I started to do the subs not because we were playing in a bad way, but to balance the energy and to be ready for Sunday (against Tottenham). “When we win it is different. The spirit is dif ferent, the energy is different. The boys deserved it because they are a fantastic group. Very good

McGinn hails ‘mad man’ Martinez

Palace’s Ismaila Sarr (left) shoots at goal during the Conference League last 16, 2nd leg match against AEK Larnaca in Cyprus yesterday. – REUTERSPIC

Ű BY JONATHAN VEAL

A S TO N VILLA captain John McGinn described Emiliano Martinez as a “mad man” after the goalkeeper helped Aston Villa into the Europa League quarterfinals. The Argentina keeper, whose long-term future at Villa remains in doubt, played a big part in McGinn’s second half opener against Lille, which came 15 seconds after he had made an important save, by sending Jadon Sancho clear with a pinpoint kick. Leon Bailey’s late second goal completed a 2-0 win on the night, 3-0 on aggregate, to set up a quarterfinal meeting with Bologna. But Martinez was the centre of attention after the goal and he provocatively gestured to the Lille fans, who were not shy in showing their dislike for the Argentinian. He is less than popular in France following his exploits in the 2022 World Cup final and angered Lille’s support ers further during their 2024 Conference League meet ing, which Villa won on penalties, thanks in part to some trademark gamesmanship. McGinn said of the shot-stopper: “He’s a mad man. I know he’s a family man, but he is a big kid inside, a lively character and a top goalkeeper, but even at 2-0 he made a great save.” The Scot added on TNT Sports : “It was brilliant from Emi, but it highlights Jadon’s performance, his best in a Villa shirt. “He was man of the match tonight by a mile. The manager was giving me grief before the game to make sure I get in the box and he gave it to me.” Progress keeps Villa’s dreams of a trophy alive and, after falling short in the Conference League and Champions League in the last two seasons, Europa League specialist Unai Emery must be eyeing a fifth title in Istanbul in May. Their journey under the Spaniard has been full of highlights and three successive European quarterfinals are proof of that. Emery is also the fastest Villa manager to 100 wins and his achievement was recognised before kickoff with home fans holding up a Tifo display. This match was nowhere near the top of the list of memorable displays under Emery, although the hosts did dominate. Emery said: “I am happy with how we performed over two matches, how we tried to play seriously, being organised, respecting the opponent. “(We played) not so brilliant, but being consistent and defending well. When we had our moments to be ruth less we needed it. We needed those two matches to show this competitive way. “We are focusing all the season through the Premier League, that is the priority. The Europa League is a com petition that is very difficult to win, but we have to enjoy the process, enjoying the way, competing, using different players and trying to compete, it can help us find a struc ture in our squad.” – The Independent

Glasner hails ‘huge achievement’ as Palace progress

Ű BY RACHEL STEINBERG

until the end of the season, and hopefully our European journey continues.” Sarr joined Palace from Marseille in August 2024 in a deal reportedly worth £12.6 million (RM66m). He has more than justified his purchase, making a habit of scoring when Palace need him the most. It was Sarr’s second-half brace against Villa that helped lift the south Londoners into last season’s FA Cup final at Wembley, where the Eagles secured their first major trophy and booked themselves into proper European competition for the first time. His equaliser also forced a penalty shootout in their Community Shield victory over Liverpool, also contributing one of the successful spot-kicks. Yesterday’s winner was his fifth Conference League goal in a cam paign where they have been hard to come by. Palace midfielder Adam Wharton told TNT : “(Sarr) has been doing well in the Premier League as well. He’s been scoring a lot of goals, getting a lot of assists, and he’s so quick. “Especially against these teams, if you get that little bit of space in behind because they are so compact, it works wonders having him, so we’re really happy to have him.” – The Independent

OLIVE R GLA SN E R hailed Crystal Palace’s lat est European milestone after Ismaila Sarr’s extra-time winner at nine-man AEK Larnaca booked a Conference League quarterfinal against Fiorentina. Sarr fired Palace, who had drawn the first leg 0-0, into a 13th-minute lead in Cyprus, but defender Enric Saborit levelled in the 63rd minute, only to be sent off 10 minutes later after being shown a second yellow card. Sarr put the Eagles 2-1 ahead nine min utes into extra time before twice going close to a hattrick, clipping the crossbar on both occasions, the second time after Larnaca had been reduced to nine men following Petros Ioannou’s dismissal. “It’s a huge achievement,” Glasner said on TNT Sports . “We are looking forward and it is now to really make the best with the three weeks, because our next competitive game is against Fiorentina at Selhurst Park. “We will have a few days off and then many of our players go to their national team and then we will prepare. “We will play a friendly to stay in the rhythm. It’s good. I expect (forward) Eddie Nketiah back, so everybody will help us, because then it will be a very tight schedule