09/04/2026

SPORTS THURSDAY | APR 9, 2026

30

Saints give Wrexham reality check

SOUTHAMPTON demolished Wrexham 5-1 to take control of the battle for a Championship playoff place yesterday. Kuryu Matsuki, Flynn Downes, Cyle Larin, Ross Stewart and Finn Azaz struck for the Saints, who are now 16 games unbeaten in all compe titions. That run includes Saturday’s shock victory over Premier League leaders Arsenal to reach the FA Cup semifinals. Automatic promotion still appears out of the Saints’ reach after their terrible start to the cam paign under Will Still.

“Overall I thought we had good control. We knew that if we stayed and worked in our struc ture, we would get some moments in the sec ond half and I thought we did that well.” Wrexham boss Parkinson says his side need to drastically improve defensively when they return to action against Birmingham City at St. Andrew’s on Sunday. “I think it’s a night of reflection and get ting back to basics for the weekend,” said Parkinson.

But they have been transformed since Tonda Eckert took charge and look like the team to beat should they seal a place in the playoffs. Southampton move two points ahead of Wrexham and have a game in hand on their rivals for a place in the top six. “I think it helped us a lot that we had some freshness in the team today,” Eckert told BBC Sport . “We knew that we needed to take control early on, and we did this, especially in the first 20-25 minutes.

“It’s back to the drawing board tomorrow when we come in as a staff. We’ve got to go down to St. Andrew’s and put in a back-to-basics performance to give us a chance of winning the game.” Yesterday’s defeat was Wrexham’s heaviest of the season and their worst on home soil since losing 7-2 to Gateshead in 2011. Despite the setback, the Red Dragons remain in the hunt to challenge for a top-six place with five matches of the regular season still to play. “This game can’t define the season,”added Parkinson. “We’ve worked exceptionally hard to get in this position. We’re in a very tough divi sion as everybody knows. “With five games to go, we’ve got to make sure we batten down the hatches as a group and come out with a response at the weekend.” – AFP/Agencies

Sporting ’s Luis Suarez (left) and Arsenal’s David Raya in action during yesterday’s Champions League quarterfinal, 1st leg match in Lisbon. – REUTERSPIC

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Arteta hails hero Raya

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a big moment in the season. Especially where we were coming from. We had a point to prove. “Yesterday I talked about identity and the things that I wanted to see on that pitch. It certainly happened. There was a shift there, against a big opponent. “The best thing that you can do instead of talk is observe. Look around you and see how people react. “How they talk, how they look at you, how they judge you, what they do, do they look at themselves, do they start to criticise other people? “Look around, and you’re going to learn the environment and the people that you have around you. “And I cannot be prouder to work in a club with people that only ask: ‘What else can I do to help?’ And when you have peo ple like this, I don’t know if it’s going to take another week or two, but something really will happen at the end because we deserve it.” Despite the late defeat, Sporting head coach Rui Borges said his side remain in the tie. “It is frustrating because we did not deserve to lose after all we did in the game,” he said. “But that is football. We have won in the 91st minute before, and tonight we lost. “We have to look forward to the next match in London and we will try to deliver something unique. “I am hopeful this round will be open until the end. We know they will be at home, but our team likes challenges and I am sure we will give a good response.” – The Independent Arsenal keeper ‘world’s best’ after denying Sporting in Lisbon

Ű BY PHILIP DUNCAN

RM260,390.60

M IKEL ARTETA hailed David Raya as “extraordinary” while Arsenal matchwinner Kai Havertz branded him “the best keeper in the world” after the Spaniard’s stunning performance in Arsenal’s late 1-0 Champions League win against Sporting Lisbon. Substitute Kai Havertz struck in injury time to put Arsenal on course for the semifi nals ahead of next week’s last-eight return leg at the Emirates, with Arteta admitting his side – following consecutive defeats – had a “point to prove”. However, Arteta had Raya to thank for keeping Arsenal alive with a wonderful early save to deny Maxi Araujo. Raya also pro duced a fine double stop late in the contest before Havertz’s winner in the first minute of stoppage time. “He’s extraordinary, magnificent, and incredible,” said Arteta of Raya. “I don’t know the adjective, the right one. And with that, it’s enough. We are so happy to have him.” Speaking to Amazon Prime , Havertz said: “He (Raya) is still underestimated in the world of football. For the last two seasons he has been the best keeper in the world.” Arteta’s side arrived in Portugal rocked by back-to-back losses for the first time this season which have reduced their trophy aspirations from four to two. But their last-gasp win in Lisbon pro vides them with a significant boost, not just on the European stage, but also ahead of their Premier League match against Bournemouth at the Emirates on Saturday (7.30pm Malaysian time). Arsenal have the opportunity to move 12 points clear of rivals’ Manchester City who face Chelsea a day later at Stamford Bridge. And Arteta continued: “It was a big night,

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