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De Gea stars as Manchester united settle for Sevilla draw

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David de Gea deflected the attention away from Paul Pogba with another spectacular display of goalkeeping as Manchester United came away from their Champions League last 16, first leg against Sevilla in Spain with a 0-0 draw on Wednesday.

De Gea made two breathtaking saves to deny Steven N’Zonzi and Luis Muriel at the end of the first half at the Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan, denying Sevilla a lead to take to England for next month’s return.

Sevilla were the more likely side, with United offering little going forward despite the presence of Alexis Sanchez, Romelu Lukaku and Juan Mata in their attack.

Lukaku had a late goal disallowed, but United’s was the kind of cautious approach seen time and again in such games by Mourinho’s teams down the years.

Their inability, unwillingness even, to get an away goal leaves the tie wide open ahead of the second leg, with United looking to reach the quarter-finals in their first appearance in the knockout stage of the Champions League since 2014.

“The only moment where we felt relieved was in the last couple of moments of the first half when from a couple of our mistakes in possession they had a couple of good situations and De Gea made good saves,” said Mourinho.

His team managed just one attempt on target to Sevilla’s eight, but Mourinho added: “Apart from that the game was even, but the statistics are what they are.

“I really feel the result reflected what the game was — you ask me was it a good result, and I say it was not good and not bad.”

Mourinho decided to leave Pogba out of his starting line-up, despite the Frenchman being back in the squad after illness had kept him out of United’s FA Cup win at Huddersfield Town.

 Fuelling the speculation of an uneasy relationship between Mourinho and the France midfielder, the United manager chose to select 21-year-old Scott McTominay ahead of Pogba in a midfield three.

Pogba thrown on
However, an untimely injury to Ander Herrera meant Pogba was thrown on after just 17 minutes of a first half dominated by the Spanish side.

Sevilla, looking to make it past the last 16 of the Champions League after falling in their three previous appearances at this stage over the last decade, could and should have had a goal to show for their performance.

De Gea made one good early save low down to deny Colombian Muriel, while Jesus Navas, impressive at right-back, fired just wide after latching onto Ever Banega’s cross-field pass.

Stepping up the pressure just before half-time, Joaquin Correa’s shot from a good position was too easy for De Gea, but the Spain ‘keeper displayed all his class as he kept out headed attempts from N’Zonzi and Muriel from point-blank range, both saves requiring breathtaking reactions.

The importance to United of not letting in a goal was clear — they had kept eight clean sheets in their 10 matches before heading to Andalusia, with their only defeats in that time coming in the two games in which they had conceded.

And they were content to leave Spain with a 0-0 draw, continuing to soak up pressure in the second half and relying on Sevilla’s indecision in the final third.

They were also aided by Pablo Sarabia’s inability to find the target from an inviting Muriel cross in the 73rd minute, before Lukaku’s goal was ruled out by French referee Clement Turpin for a handball as he controlled before shooting.

“I am very happy with the character shown by the team,” Sevilla’s Italian coach Vincenzo Montella told Spanish television. “We have to be pleased with the performance. The 0-0 leaves everything open.”

Whether Mourinho’s team should have been more adventurous will only become clear after the return in Manchester in three weeks.

SPORTS

John McEnroe Says He Can Be The Commissioner Tennis Needs Amid Doping Crisis

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John McEnroe says he can be commissioner tennis needs | fab.ng

Recent doping controversies involving top players have not damaged tennis’s reputation, but John McEnroe believes that appointing a single commissioner for the sport would significantly enhance the clarity and transparency surrounding doping cases.

Men’s world number one Jannik Sinner failed two drug tests in March for trace amounts of the anabolic androgenic steroid clostebol, but an independent tribunal cleared him of any wrongdoing by accepting his explanation of unintentional contamination.

Women’s world number two Iga Swiatek accepted a one-month ban in November after testing positive for the hormone and metabolic modulator trimetazidine, which she attributed to contamination of her sleep medication.

The ITIA, responsible for managing tennis’s anti-doping program, stated that both cases involved “inadvertent breaches of the rules.”

“I don’t think it has done any damage because if you look, it’s way worse in the other sports,”McEnroe, a former world number one turned ESPN broadcaster, told reporters ahead of the Australian Open.

“In my opinion, tennis is cleaner than any other sport. Now that doesn’t mean there are not issues.”

John McEnroe emphasised that the confusion surrounding the timing of information release significantly exacerbates the situation.

The confusion is such as the delayed public disclosure of Sinner’s positive test at the Indian Wells tournament in March until just before the US Open in August.

“That part I really don’t like,”he said.

Rennae Stubbs, a former player, current coach, and ESPN commentator, stated that players undergo frequent testing.

She further emphasised that a commissioner could play a vital role in enhancing transparency when a positive test occurs, particularly when a player’s reputation is at stake.

“We need a commissioner of tennis that actually gets out there and speaks on behalf of players to defend or not defend them,” she said.

“The bottom line is we have no one talking for them.”

McEnroe revealed that he has long advocated for the appointment of a commissioner and expressed his readiness and willingness to assume this role.

“If I wasn’t the commissioner, there still should be a commissioner,” he said.

“It doesn’t look like it’s ever going to happen because people are too busy, these tournaments protect their own interests. They care about themselves, they don’t care enough about the sport.

“So it’s too bad. But nonetheless, if it’s not me, it should be someone else. We’ll see if it happens in the next 10 years.”

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Taiwo Awoniyi’s First Goal Of The Season Seals Nottingham Forest’s Win Over Wolves

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Taiwo Awoniyi’s Goal Lifts Nottingham Forest Past Wolves | fab.ng

Taiwo Awoniyi made a triumphant return to Premier League action. He scored in stoppage time to help Nottingham Forest crush Wolverhampton Wanderers 3-0 on Monday evening.

The Super Eagles striker completed his dramatic comeback from injury, finding the net for the first time in the 2024/25 season, precisely 324 days after a devastating setback had forced him to watch from the sidelines.

Forest manager Steve Cooper introduced Awoniyi in the 88th minute, and the Nigerian international seized his opportunity with both hands.

Morgan Gibbs-White orchestrated the decisive moment, threading a precise pass through Wolves’ defensive line.

Awoniyi, demonstrating his predatory instincts, latched onto the ball and dispatched it into the net with clinical precision, sending the City Ground into rapturous celebration.

The emotional weight of the moment overwhelmed Taiwo Awoniyi as he sank to his knees after scoring.

He reached for his shin pads, which carried a deeply personal message – the Bible verse James 1:17.

The passage reads, “Every good and perfect gift is from above,” and pressed them against his face in a poignant display of gratitude and relief.

This victory carried significant implications for Nottingham Forest’s remarkable 2024/25 campaign. The team has now strung together an impressive sequence of six consecutive Premier League victories.

This cemented their position in third place on the table. Forest’s 40-point tally matches Arsenal’s in second position. Meanwhile, Liverpool maintains a six-point advantage at the summit with a game still in hand.

Awoniyi’s goal served as the perfect exclamation point on Forest’s commanding performance, underlining their transformation into genuine title contenders.

The striker’s emotional celebration resonated throughout the stadium. Furthermore, it marks not just a personal milestone in his recovery journey but also symbolises Forest’s remarkable ascent into English football’s top flight.

Don’t miss the inspiring photos of his celebration! Watch the goal video below.

 

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A post shared by Awoniyi Taiwo (@awoniyi18)

 

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SPORTS

NBA Roundup: Giannis Triple-Double Leads Milwaukee Bucks To Win Over Toronto Raptors

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NBA roundup: Giannis triple-double leads Milwaukee Bucks | fab.ng

Giannis Antetokounmpo (30) recorded his fourth triple-double of the season, contributing 11 points, 12 rebounds, and a season-high 13 assists.

Meanwhile, Damian Lillard (34) scored 25 points, leading the Milwaukee Bucks to a decisive 128-104 victory over the Toronto Raptors on Monday night.

Antetokounmpo’s exceptional passing, including 10 assists in the first half alone, ignited the Bucks’ offence and propelled them to victory, snapping a two-game losing streak.

The Bucks had recently faced a challenging period, losing four of their last five games, all against teams with losing records.

However, they convincingly overcame the struggling 8-28 Raptors, despite the absence of Khris Middleton due to an ankle injury.

Bucks coach Doc Rivers praised Antetokounmpo’s playmaking abilities, stating, “Giannis’ passing set the whole tone for our team.”

“When your best player does that, it becomes contagious and the ball just moved,” Rivers said.

The only downside for the Bucks was a cut Antetokounmpo suffered on his right little finger when he hit the rim on a block attempt late in the first half.

Rivers said it required stitches to stop the bleeding, but Antetokounmpo wanted to stay in a game in which he and Lillard were both able to rest the entire fourth quarter anyway.

Zach LaVine led the Chicago Bulls to a thrilling 114-110 victory over the San Antonio Spurs in Chicago, scoring 35 points while also contributing 10 rebounds and eight assists.

The Bulls staged a remarkable comeback, overcoming a 19-point deficit in the third quarter.

Coby White played a crucial role in the victory, scoring 23 points. He drove for a go-ahead layup and followed it up with a powerful dunk, giving the Bulls a 113-110 lead with 15.9 seconds remaining. LaVine then sealed the win with a free throw.

The Bulls successfully countered another impressive performance from San Antonio’s star rookie, Victor Wembanyama. He recorded 23 points, 14 rebounds, four assists, and an astonishing eight blocked shots.

In Detroit, Cade Cunningham orchestrated a remarkable comeback for the Pistons.

They scored 32 points and dished out nine assists as they overcame an early 22-point deficit to defeat the Portland Trail Blazers 118-115.

Tim Hardaway Jr. ignited the Pistons’ fourth-quarter surge, scoring 11 of his 26 points during the final period. He drained back-to-back three-pointers, giving the Pistons a 109-106 lead with less than three minutes remaining.

The Trail Blazers mounted a late challenge, twice narrowing the deficit to just one point. Anfernee Simons’ three-pointer with 12 seconds left brought the score to 117-115.

However, Malik Beasley sealed the Pistons’ fourth consecutive win by making one of two free throws and securing a crucial steal.

The Phoenix Suns snapped a four-game losing streak with a 109-99 victory over the short-handed Philadelphia 76ers in Philadelphia.

Coach Mike Budenholzer’s decision to shake up the starting lineup by moving Bradley Beal to the bench proved successful. Beal ignited the Suns’ offence, scoring 25 points, with 20 of those coming in the second half.

The Suns trailed by as many as 12 points in the first quarter and entered halftime with a four-point deficit. However, their bench outscored the 76ers’ reserves by a significant margin, 54-7.

Tyrese Maxey led the 76ers with 31 points and 10 assists. And Kelly Oubre Jr. contributed 26 points and 11 rebounds. The 76ers were without Joel Embiid and Kyle Lowry due to injuries.

In New York, the injury-ravaged Orlando Magic upset the struggling Knicks 103-94.

Cole Anthony led the Magic with 24 points, while Wendell Carter Jr. provided a significant spark off the bench, scoring 19 points. The Magic remain without their top four scorers: Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner, Jalen Suggs, and Moritz Wagner.

Jalen Brunson and Mikal Bridges each scored 24 points for the Knicks. The Knicks suffered their third consecutive loss after a nine-game winning streak.

In Memphis, Jaren Jackson Jr. dominated. He scored 35 points and grabbed 13 rebounds to lead the Grizzlies to a 119-104 victory over the Dallas Mavericks.

The Mavericks, missing key players Luka Doncic and Kyrie Irving, dropped their fifth straight game.

The Minnesota Timberwolves snapped their three-game losing streak with a thrilling 108-106 comeback victory over the Los Angeles Clippers. Anthony Edwards fuelled the comeback, scoring 37 points for the Timberwolves.

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