Sports

England Beat Finland To Get Back On Track

Published

5 months ago

October 14, 2024

England avoided fresh embarrassment after their Greek tragedy as Trent Alexander-Arnold’s superb free-kick inspired a 3-1 win against Finland in the Nations League on Sunday.

Four days after Greece earned their first-ever win over England at Wembley, Lee Carsley’s side were again far from convincing for long periods in Helsinki.

But they mustered just enough quality in the final third to spare their interim manager more misery.

Jack Grealish’s composed finish put England ahead in the first half, but Finland wasted several chances before Alexander-Arnold and Declan Rice sealed the win in the second half.

Although Finland’s Arttu Hoskonen netted in the closing stages, England’s third victory in four games since Carsley replaced Gareth Southgate kept them in contention for promotion from Nations League Group B2.

However, in the ‘land of a thousand lakes’, it was far from plain sailing for Carsley, who is in the spotlight as the Football Association ponder who should succeed Southgate on a permanent basis.

After winning his first two games against Ireland and Finland in September, Carsley’s tactical gamble — changing his formation to play with five attacking midfielders and no recognised striker — backfired badly in the Greece defeat and raised doubts about his suitability for the role.

Reports on Sunday claimed former Bayern Munich and Chelsea boss Thomas Tuchel is in talks with the Football Association, who have also been linked with Newcastle manager Eddie Howe.

Carsley is expected to remain in charge for England’s trip to Greece on November 14 followed by Ireland’s visit to Wembley three days later.

Calling for a “reaction” to the Greece debacle, Carsley made six changes as he went back to a more “conventional” line-up.

Dean Henderson replaced Jordan Pickford in goal for his first England start, while Harry Kane’s return from injury saw Carsley ditch his striker-less experiment.

Grealish, Kyle Walker, Marc Guehi and Angel Gomes also came into a team that found it hard going at times against a Finland side 60 places below them in FIFA’s world rankings.

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Sports

2026 WCQ: Osimhen, Onyemaechi hit Super Eagles Kigali camp

Published

5 hours ago

March 17, 2025

The Pledge

Victor Osimhen and Bruno Onyemaechi are the early arrivals at the Super Eagles camp in Kigali, Rwanda.

The duo jetted into Kigali on Sunday night.

They were met on arrival at the Kigali International Airport by head coach Eric Chelle and other backroom staff.

Osimhen was in action for his Turkish club Galatasaray against Atalyanpor on Friday night.

The 26-year-old scored a hat-trick in the 4-0 victory.

Onyemaechi featured in Olympiacos UEFA Europa League clash with Norwegian club Bodo & Glint last Thursday.

More players are expected to hit the team’s Radisson Blu Hotel camp on Monday (today).

Nigeria will face the Amavubi of Rwanda in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier at the Amahoro Stadium, Kigali on Friday

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Sports

Hojlund Ends Goal Drought As Man Utd Beat Leicester

Published

5 hours ago

March 17, 2025

The Pledge

United extended their unbeaten run in open play to seven games with a comfortable victory at seemingly doomed Leicester.

Rasmus Hojlund ended a 21-game goal drought by firing United in front on 28 minutes.

Alejandro Garnacho was made to wait for his first goal since November as the Argentine was flagged offside early in the second half.

Garnacho, though, was not to be denied with a snap shot that Mads Hermansen should have kept out.

United have won all four meetings against Leicester this season, two of which the Foxes’ current boss Ruud van Nistelrooy was in interim charge of the Red Devils.

But the Dutchman has not had the same impact at the King Power.

Leicester have lost 13 of their last 14 league games to fall nine points adrift of safety.

Van Nistelrooy’s men also set an unwanted record of becoming the first Premier League side to go seven home games without scoring.

Bruno Fernandes unsurprisingly set the seal on United’s win with a stunning strike from the edge of the box for his seventh goal in seven games.

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Sports

Newcastle Stun Liverpool In League Cup Final To End 56-Year Trophy Drought

Published

5 hours ago

March 17, 2025

The Pledge

Newcastle ended their 56-year trophy drought in stunning style as Dan Burn and Alexander Isak sealed a 2-1 win against Liverpool in the League Cup final on Sunday.

Eddie Howe’s side made history at Wembley with a superb display that left the runaway Premier League leaders shell-shocked.

Burn put Newcastle ahead late in the first half and Isak’s 27th goal in all competitions doubled their lead after the interval.

Federico Chiesa got one back in the closing seconds, but Newcastle held on for their first major silverware since the 1969 Inter-Cities Fairs Cup.

That success in the predecessor to the Europa League is a relic of a bygone era, but this long-awaited triumph will be forever etched in the memories of the Newcastle fans who turned one half of Wembley into a roiling sea of black and white with their ecstatic celebrations.

It was also Newcastle’s first major domestic prize dating back 70 years to the 1955 FA Cup.

Since the Magpies lifted the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup, 30 different English teams had won silverware, while Liverpool had clinched 38 major trophies in that time.

But after losing the 2023 League Cup final against Manchester United, Howe’s team returned to Wembley and set the record straight at last.