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☆ Euro 2024 final: Spain vs England – your ultimate tactical guide
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-12 | by ( Mark Carey | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +16 min

The Athletic profiles the finalists’ strengths and weaknesses, the key battles, and the many sub-plots in your definitive tactical guide to the Euro 2024 final. The dynamic duo are responsible for 46 per cent of Spain’s total attempted take-ons this tournament. What a talent 👏🇪🇸 pic.twitter.com/IRJignOqCA — UEFA U17 EURO (@UEFAUnder21) July 9, 2024Beyond his shooting, Yamal’s creative threat has stood out the most. This forced the Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon to frequently launch the ball long, often conceding possession in the process. Spain might be the standout favourites but England will arrive in Berlin as the more experienced nation in recent major tournaments.

Persons: Lamine Yamal, Nico Williams, Luis de la, Williams, Arjen Robben, ged, Fabia, ong, anne, e, d the pl, ure, anne l, Walker, ince, heth, rove, abbe, the he, inger, mani, ted Saka,, oden, atkin, In th, below, Kane, hite, nin, Kane, Ivan T o, riva, Gareth Southg, ross, ove, e to, Getty, Eamon n Dalton Organizations: European, Germany, France, UEFA Locations: Spain, England, Berlin, France, goa, nis, beh, lida

☆ Spain 2 Germany 1: Mikel Merino’s late, late winner dumps out Euro 2024 hosts
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Dermot Corrigan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +18 min

Spain thought they had beaten Germany after Dani Olmo’s 51st-minute finish to a fine team move. Having beaten the hosts in dramatic fashion, some will now consider Spain the favourites to win Euro 2024. Spain had never previously beaten a host nation in a knockout tie at either a World Cup or European Championship. What Germany had to remember was that De la Fuente’s Spain are far more versatile in the way they play. His final game in professional football was mixed.

Persons: Dani Olmo’s, Julian Nagelsmann’s, Florian Wirtz, Manuel Neuer, Mikel Merino, Dermot Corrigan, James McNicholas, Mark Carey, Sebastian Stafford, Bloor, They’d, Merino, tonight’s, Maximilian Mittelstadt, Toni Kroos, Carl Recine, Tom, Marc Cucurella, Kroos, Pedri, Lamine Yamal, …, Martin Rickett, Yamal Pedri, Luis de la Fuente, Anthony Taylor’s, Taylor, Antonio Rudiger, Robin Le Normand, Germany’s Emre, Rodri, Jamal Musiala, Le Normand, Dani Carvajal, Carvajal, Rudiger, Robert Andrich, Alvaro Morata, Unai Simon, Ilkay, Fabian Ruiz, Simon, Nico Williams —, Aymeric Laporte, Jonathan Tah, —, Olmo, Dani Olmo 🇪🇸 h, Bo, ove, Ger, abi l, hal f, sid, bac, dou, tod, tim e, Rea, bui, hal, ed pre, bea Organizations: European, Croatia, Georgia, Olmo, France, Barcelona, UEFA, Manchester City, la, Germany, Sunday, pla, DFB, cri, usu, Spa Locations: Spain, Germany, Stuttgart, tonight’s Portugal, Berlin, Bloor, Real Madrid, Yamal, It’s, Spain’s, goa, abo, Wil

☆ Mikel Merino scores dramatic extra-time winner to dump Euro 2024 host Germany out of tournament and send Spain to semifinals
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-05 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Euro 2024 host Germany was dumped out of the tournament on Friday after a 2-1 quarterfinal defeat by Spain in Stuttgart. With Germany seemingly out of time, Florian Wirtz’s slick finish in the 89th minute kept the tournament host’s hopes alive. However, in extra-time Spain conjured up their own late goal on 119 minutes, Mikel Merino heading home the winner to send the three-time Euros winner to the semifinals. It marks the second successive European Championships in which Spain has reached the semifinals stage while Germany’s run at its home tournament is over. Tournament winners in 1964, 2008 and 2012, Spain will play France or Portugal in the semifinals, with those two teams playing later on Friday in Hamburg.

Persons: Dani Olmo, Florian Wirtz’s, Mikel Merino, Olmo, Spain's, Alex Livesey, Pedri, Toni Kroos, Germany’s Kai Havertz, Manuel Neuer, Alvaro Morata, Luis de la, Niclas Füllkrug, Robert Andrich –, Füllkrug, Havertz, Julian Nagelsmann’s, Aymeric Laporte, Nacho, Nagelsmann, – Thomas Müller –, Maximilian Mittelstädt, Joshua Kimmich, Wirtz pounced, Wirtz, Alex Caparros, Mikel Oyarzabal’s, Merino, Dani Carvajal Organizations: CNN, Bundesliga, RB Leipzig, Germany, Getty, Arsenal, Spain, UEFA Locations: Germany, Spain, Stuttgart, France, Portugal, Hamburg, Olmo, Spanish

☆ Euro 2024: Our ranking of all the games in Germany this summer
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-29 | by ( Ahmed Walid | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +35 min

AdvertisementThis was Belgium at their finest, and Romania raised the level of their game in the second half to try to equalise. If Austria wanted to have any chance of qualifying to the round of 16 they had to beat Poland in their second group game. The wide areas were where Ukraine focused their attacks, and Oleksandr Zinchenko’s square pass to Mykola Shaparenko made it 1-1 in the second half. However, Samet Akaydin and Altay Bayindir’s mishap on the second goal decreased Turkey’s probability of a comeback. More off-ball runs in the second half led to the third, and by then the match was done and dusted.

Persons: Muldur, Arda Guler, Georges Mikautadze, Khvicha, Giorgi Mamardashvili, Kerem Akturkoglu, Ronald Koeman’s, Romano Schmid, Austria, Cody Gakpo’s, Memphis Depay, Marcel Sabitzer, Merih Demiral, Ralf Rangnick’s, Vincenzo Montella’s, Michael Gregoritsch, Alexander Prass, Christoph Baumgartner, Mert Gunok, Kvaratskhelia, Jasir Asani’s, Zlatko Dalic’s, Mario Pasalic, Luka Sucic, Marcelo Brozovic, Majer, Luka Modric, Mateo Kovacic, Ante Budimir, Andrej Kramaric, Klaus Gjasula’s, Albania’s, Dan Mullan, Gianluigi, Italy weren’t, Nico Williams, Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Kevin C, Cox, Jeremy Doku, Ivan Schranz, Kevin De Bruyne, Romelu Lukaku, Leandro Trossard, Stanislav Lobotka, Juraj Kucka, Ondrej Duda, Martin Dubravka’s, David Hancko’s, Stu Forster, Zan Karnicnik’s, Jan Oblak’s, Luka, Patrik Schick, Ondrej Lingr’s, Ivan Hasek’s, Giorgi Chakvetadze, Saba Lobjanidze, Julian Nagelsmann, Germany didn’t, —, Murat Yakin’s, Dan Ndoye, Manuel Akanji, Fabian Schar, David Raum, Christina Pahnke –, Romania Domenico Tedesco’s, Youri Tielemans, Timothy Castagne, De Bruyne, Luciano Spalletti’s, Mattia Zaccagni, Kasper Schmeichel, Rasmus Hojlund, Manuel Neuer, Joachim Andersen, Kai Havertz, Jamal Musiala, Ricardo Rodriguez, Schar, Akanji, Gianluca Scamacca, Remo Freuler’s, Ruben Vargas, RONNY HARTMANN, Gareth Southgate’s, Milan Skriniar, Denis Vavro, Lobotka, Francesco Calzona’s, David Strelec, Jude, Harry Kane, Peter Pekarik, Michel Aebischer, Aebischer, Kwadwo Duah, Hungary’s, Dominik Szoboszlai, Roland Sallai, Willi, Adam Buksa, Nathan Ake’s, Alex Livesey, Bull, Rangnick’s, Baumgartner, Marko Arnautovic, Nicolae Stanciu, Razvan Marin, Denis Dragus, Shaun Botterill, Neuer, Robert Andrich, Jonathan Tah, Antonio Rudiger, Ilkay, Steven Bergwijn, Xavi Simons, Netherlands ’, Stefan de Vrij, Virgil van Dijk, Fabian Ruiz, Rodri, Fabian, Lukas Haraslin, Hancko, Andriy Yarmolenko, Mykhailo Mudryk —, Oleksandr, Mykola Shaparenko, Shaparenko, Denmark Christian Eriksen, Jonas Wind, Eriksen, Benjamin Sesko’s, Kasper Hjulmand’s, Erik Janza’s, Carl Recine, Antonin Barak’s, Tomas Soucek —, Hungary’s Barnabas Varga, Kevin Csoboth, De Bruyne’s, N’Golo, Aurelien Tchouameni, Didier Deschamps ’, — Theo Hernandez, Jules Kounde —, Francisco Conceicao’s, Ruben Dias, Gabriel Bouys, Croatia hadn’t, Unai Simon, Nicolo Barella, Alessandro Bastoni, Rey Manaj, Havertz, Florian Wirtz, Musiala, Ryan Porteous, Scott McTominay, Tony Ralston’s, Xherdan, Kose, Bernardo Silva’s, Samet, Cristiano Ronaldo, Sesko, Diogo Costa’s, Torsten Silz, Alexander Bah, Ruslan Malinovskyi, Kylian, Ousmane Dembele, Deschamps ’, England’s, Pierre, Emile Hojbjerg, Morten Hjulmand, Marc Guehi’s, Alex Grimm, Maximilian Wober, Spain Luis de la, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres, Marvin, Let’s, Mark Carey, Michael Cox, Michael Regan – Organizations: Golden, Memphis, UEFA Nations League, Albania, Spain, Italy, Getty, Georgia, Hungary, Croatia, Real Madrid, Denmark, Milan, Bologna, Poland, olimpico, Dumfries, Georgia openign, Valencia, Ukraine, Manchester United, Portugal, …, Turkey, B, Slovenia AET, Danish, England, Calzona, Serbia, Michael Regan – UEFA, UEFA Locations: Turkey, Georgia, Kerem, Netherlands, Austria, France, Poland, Portugal, Croatia, Italy, Albania, Pasalic, Gjasula, Spain, Gianluigi Donnarumma, Belgium, Slovakia, Doku, Slovenia, Serbia, Republic, Czech Republic, Switzerland, Germany, Romania, Youri, Modric, Denmark, England, Hungary, Dumfries, Ukraine, Ilkay Gundogan, Gakpo, AFP, Scotland, Samet Akaydin, Altay, Romanian

With one team scoring after just 18 seconds and another after 21 seconds, the Premier League made an explosive return Tuesday following the competition's short winter break. Arsenal left it much later for its goals in a win that kept the pressure on Liverpool at the top. Arsenal might be able to maintain a title push heading into the final months of the campaign, but can Aston Villa? Adebayo's first came after just 18 seconds and it was barely the quickest of the night, with Ben Brereton Diaz scoring after 21 seconds for Sheffield United in its 3-2 loss at Crystal Palace. Ollie Watkins grabbed a consolation for Villa, which will drop to fifth place if Tottenham beats Brentford on Wednesday.

Persons: Gabriel Jesus, Bukayo, Aston, Unai, Villa, Elijah Adebayo, Ben Brereton Diaz, JESUS, ARSENAL Gabriel Jesus, Oleksandr Zinchenko, Matt Turner —, Jesus, Taiwo Awoniyi, Villa hadn't, Fabian Schar, Alex Moreno’s, Ollie Watkins, ___ Steve Douglas Organizations: Premier League, Arsenal, Liverpool, Arsenal's, Nottingham Forest, Aston Villa, Champions League, Luton, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Fulham, Everton, ARSENAL, Forest, Chelsea, VILLA, Newcastle, Villa, Tottenham, Brentford, Wednesday Locations: Liverpool, Newcastle, Brighton, Brazil, Oleksandr

☆ Man City held by Chelsea in eight-goal thriller, Liverpool go second
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Aston Villa beat Fulham 3-1 to match a 40-year-old club record of 13 straight home league wins. City opened the scored when Spanish defender Marc Cucurella pulled Haaland's shirt to concede a VAR-checked penalty which the Norwegian coolly converted in the 24th minute. Things were far more sedate at Anfield where Liverpool moved right into title contention thanks to another contribution from the talismanic Salah. "Crazy," Klopp said of the 31-year-old Salah, who has 10 goals in 12 league games this season. Victory lifted the Hammers to ninth in the table with 17 points from 12 games while Forest are 15th with 13 points.

Persons: Chelsea's Palmer, Salah, Chelsea slugged, Cole Palmer, Chelsea, Tottenham, Erling Haaland, Mohamed Salah, West Ham, Tomas Soucek, Mauricio Pochettino's, Marc Cucurella, Thiago Silva, Raheem Sterling, Manuel Akanji, Nicolas Jackson, City, Armando Broja, Ruben Dias, Palmer, City's Rodri, Klopp, John McGinn, Ollie Watkins, Antonee Robinson, Unai Emery, Emery, Ham's Soucek, James Ward, Mahmoud Dahoud, Simon Adingra, Ben Osborn's, Adam Webster, Lori Ewing, Martyn Herman, Toby Davis Organizations: Liverpool, Brentford Villa, Fulham LIVERPOOL, Premier League, Manchester City, Chelsea, Stamford, City, Tottenham Hotspur, Brentford, Arsenal, Burnley, Aston Villa, Fulham, West, Nottingham Forest, Brighton & Hove, Sheffield United, Tottenham, Anfield, Hammers, Forest, Brighton & Hove Albion, Brighton, Thomson Locations: England, Brighton, City, Spanish

Luis Diaz lifted his Liverpool jersey to reveal a T-shirt with the words “Libertad Para Papa” (“Freedom for Papa”) after scoring a late equalizer Sunday in his first appearance for the team since his parents were kidnapped in his native Colombia. Diaz returned to training on Thursday after missing two Liverpool games and said he was ready to play against Luton, with manager Jurgen Klopp selecting him on the bench. "That’s it, for us a super important goal and for him very important and emotional.”Klopp said before the game that “positive” negotiations were taking place about the release of Diaz's father. Tahith Chong looked like being the match-winner for Luton, converting a finish at the end of an 80th-minute counterattack that came after a Liverpool corner. “We pushed a top, top team all the way and we can take a lot of confidence from that.

Persons: Luis Diaz, Papa ”, Diaz, Jurgen Klopp, Harvey Elliott’s, ” Klopp, Klopp, Tahith Chong, ”, Rob Edwards, “, Emi Martinez, Aston Villa, Martinez, Orel Mangala’s, Ola Aina, Unai, Steve Douglas Organizations: Liverpool, Luton, Premier League, National Liberation Army, League's, Luton's, ” Luton, Nottingham Forest, Forest, Villa Locations: Papa, Colombia, Barrancas, Liverpool, Argentina

☆ Marc Guiu, 17, becomes youngest debutant to score for Barcelona
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-23 | by ( George Ramsay | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —It took teenager Marc Guiu just 23 seconds to make history for Barcelona as he scored on his debut in the team’s 1-0 win against Athletic Bilbao. Guiu was brought on as a second-half substitute and made an instant impact, put through on goal by João Félix before firing a shot past Unai Simón. At the age of 17 years and 291 days, it made him the youngest player to score on debut for Barcelona. I’m just enjoying the moment, I’m still flying,” Guiu said after the match. Sixteen-year-old Lamine Yamal has also made a big impression this year, becoming the youngest player to appear in a competitive fixture for Barcelona in April and scoring his first league goal earlier this month.

Persons: Marc Guiu, Guiu, João Félix, Unai, ” Guiu, “, ” Simón, Fermín López, López, Félix, Yamal, Josep Lago, –, Xavi, ” Xavi, ” Organizations: CNN, Barcelona, Athletic Bilbao, Bilbao, La, La Liga, Real Madrid, Shakhtar Donetsk, Champions League Locations: Barcelona, AFP, Girona, Ukrainian

☆ Barcelona's 16-year-old Yamal gets first senior Spain call-up
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

MADRID, Sept 1 (Reuters) - Barcelona's 16-year-old forward Lamine Yamal received a first senior call-up for Spain, as manager Luis de la Fuente named his squad on Friday for next week's Euro 2024 Group A matches against Georgia and Cyprus. Yamal, who has a Moroccan father, was born and raised in Spain. He is a Spain youth international and his call-up for the senior side will end the hopes of Moroccan fans that he could be persuaded to switch allegiance. He was a stalwart of Spain's youth teams and is a footballer with exceptional power. Reporting by Fernando Kallas Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Lamine Yamal, Luis de la Fuente, Yamal, De la Fuente, Kepa Arrizabalaga, David de Gea, Unai Simon, Kepa, David Raya, Dani Carvajal, Aymeric Laporte, Cesar Azpilicueta, Robin Le Normand, David Garcia, Pau Torres, Alejandro Balde, Rodri, Martin Zubimendi, Fabian Ruiz, Mikel Merino, Alex Baena, Dani Olmo, Alvaro Morata, Marco Asensio, Lamine, Nico Williams, Abel Ruiz, Fernando Kallas, Toby Davis Organizations: Georgia, Villarreal, Manchester United, Athletic, Arsenal, Thomson Locations: MADRID, Spain, Cyprus, LaLiga, Moroccan, Barcelona, Real Madrid, Gaya

☆ Villa hit back with big win over Everton
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

BIRMINGHAM, England, Aug 20 (Reuters) - Aston Villa claimed their first three points of the Premier League season as John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Leon Bailey and Jhon Duran scored to secure an emphatic 4-0 home win over Everton on Sunday. "Last week was tough for us, full respect for Newcastle, they did a job on us," McGinn told Sky Sports. Villa opened the scoring through McGinn, who turned in Bailey's cutback in the 18th minute to put the hosts ahead at Villa Park. The Merseyside club lost another key attacker to injury as Alex Iwobi was taken off with what looked like a hamstring issue, before Bailey scored Villa's third. Everton host Wolverhampton Wanderers on Saturday and Villa travel to Scotland to face Hibernian in the first leg of a Europa Conference League playoff tie on Wednesday.

Persons: Aston, John McGinn, Douglas Luiz, Leon Bailey, Jhon Duran, Unai, McGinn, we've, Villa, Bailey's, Jordan Pickford, Ollie Watkins, Dominic Calvert, Lewin, Emiliano Martinez, Lewis Dobbin, Idrissa Gueye, Alex Iwobi, Bailey, Michael Keane, Duran, Pickford, Ashley Young, Keane, Sean Dyche, Aadi Nair, Ed Osmond Organizations: Aston Villa, Premier League, Everton, Newcastle United, Newcastle, Sky Sports, Villa Park, Villa, Fulham, Merseyside, BBC, Wolverhampton Wanderers, Hibernian, Europa Conference League, Thomson Locations: BIRMINGHAM, England, Bailey's cutback, Villa, Scotland, Bengaluru

☆ UEFA Nations League: Spain secures its first international trophy for 11 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-19 | by ( Ben Church | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Spain celebrated its first international trophy in 11 years after beating Croatia on penalties in the UEFA Nations League final on Sunday. Spain lifts its first international trophy for 11 years after beating Croatia. Carvajal’s goal sent the Spanish fans into a frenzy, as they celebrated the team’s first international trophy since it won the European Championships in 2012. It was also arguably the last chance for Croatia captain Luka Modric to cap off his brilliant international career with a trophy. It remains to be seen whether the 37-year-old will retire from international duty before having another chance in an international final.

Persons: Dani Carvajal’s, Antonin Panenka, “, ” Carvajal, ” Aymeric Laporte, Unai Simon, Martin Meissner, Simon, Croatia’s Bruno Petkovic, Carvajal, Carvajal’s, Luka Modric, Modric Organizations: CNN, Croatia, UEFA Nations League, The Real Madrid, Manchester City, Qatar Locations: Spain, Netherlands, Czech, Majer, Croatia

☆ Monchi leaves Sevilla to become Aston Villa's President of Football Operations
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

June 16 (Reuters) - Monchi has left his role as Sevilla sporting director to be President of Football Operations at Aston Villa where he will be reunited with coach Unai Emery, the two clubs said on Friday. Under Monchi's direction, Sevilla won a record seven Europa League titles, the Copa del Rey (Spanish Cup) twice and the European Super Cup. "I am very excited to join Aston Villa... I am also delighted and can't wait to work with Unai Emery again, one of the best managers in football," Monchi said in a statement. He left Sevilla in 2017 to become AS Roma's sporting director before returning to the Spanish side in 2019.

Persons: Monchi, Unai Emery, Emery, Angelica Medina, Pritha Sarkar Organizations: Sevilla, Football Operations, Aston Villa, Europa League, Copa del, Sevilla FC, AS Roma's, Villa, Premier League, Thomson Locations: Spanish, Mexico City

☆ Joselu’s late winner puts Spain into Nations League final
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ENSCHEDE, Netherlands, June 15 (Reuters) - Substitute Joselu scored a fortunate winner three minutes from the end as Spain booked their place in a second successive Nations League final with a deserved 2-1 victory over Italy on Thursday. "The team played a great game," Joselu told reporters. Thursday's result in Enschede was a repeat of the 2021 Nations League semi-final between the teams and became a battle of Spain’s possession game versus Italy’s ability to hit them on the counter-attack with swift breaks. "Spain deserved it, even if they only found the goal right near the end. We set up slightly differently, but we couldn't do much in the second half," Italy coach Roberto Mancini told RAI.

Persons: Joselu, Luis de la, Yeremy Pino, Robin Le Normand, Ciro, we're, Leonardo Bonucci, Yeremy, Le Normand, Unai Simon, Roberto Mancini, Nick Said, Ed Osmond Organizations: Nations League, Italy, Croatia, Spaniard, RAI, Thomson Locations: ENSCHEDE, Netherlands, Spain, Sunday’s, Rotterdam, France, Italy, Croatia, Enschede, Cape Town

☆ Firmino scores late goal to keep Liverpool's slim Champions League hopes alive
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-20 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Juergen Klopp's side are fifth with 66 points with one game remaining, but three points adrift of fourth-place Manchester United who have a game in hand. The home side dominated a frenzied final few minutes as chants of "Si Senor" rang out in the stadium. Liverpool's hopes of qualifying for next season's Champions League appear all but over. Liverpool were missing Darwin Nunez due to a toe injury, while Aston Villa were without injured Philippe Coutinho. Gakpo pulled up his shirt to show the referee the mark, but after a VAR review, Mings was shown a yellow card.

☆ Barcelona stunned by Rayo Vallecano in surprise 2-1 defeat
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MADRID, April 26 (Reuters) - Barcelona wasted a golden opportunity to extend their lead at the top of LaLiga as they suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at Rayo Vallecano on Wednesday thanks to goals in each half from Alvaro Garcia and Fran Garcia. With seven games to play, Barca are top of the league on 76 points, 11 ahead second-placed Real Madrid, who were also stunned 4-2 at lowly Girona on Tuesday. Rayo Vallecano are ninth on 43 points, four adrift of the European qualification spots. Rayo halted Barca's seven game unbeaten streak in the league with a gutsy performance in front of their fans at a sold-out Estadio de Vallecas. Camello missed another great chance in the 64th minute and Unai Lopez also wasted another opportunity to extend Rayo's lead a little later.

☆ Aston Villa go fifth in Premier League with 1-0 win over Fulham
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

BIRMINGHAM, England, April 25 (Reuters) - Defender Tyrone Mings scored a brilliant header from a set piece as Aston Villa beat Fulham 1-0 at Villa Park on Tuesday to lift them to fifth in the Premier League table, a step closer to ensuring European football next season. Villa are on 54 points after 33 games, one ahead of Tottenham Hotspur and five behind fourth-placed Manchester United. Fulham, whose European dreams were derailed by a run of four defeats in March and April, are ninth on 45 points. Fulham suffered a blow when midfielder Willian was injured in the warm-up and was unable to play, with Manor Solomon taking his place. Fulham found their feet in the second half but once again their attack failed to fire and, despite enjoying more possession, they did little to threaten Emiliano Martinez in the Villa goal.

☆ Bullet point previews of Premier League matches
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

* League leaders Arsenal drew their last two league games, while relegation-threatened Southampton lost their last two. * Leeds have conceded 16 goals in four league games in April, conceding at least four goals in three of those matches. Crystal Palace v Everton (1400)* Palace have won just one of their last 16 Premier League games against Everton (D7 L8). * West Ham have won their last two league games against Bournemouth and are looking to complete their first league double over them. Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur (1300)* Alexander Isak has scored five goals in his last six league games for Newcastle.

☆ Watkins and McGinn earn Villa 2-0 win Chelsea
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

LONDON, April 1(Reuters) - Goals from prolific striker Ollie Watkins and captain John McGinn earned Aston Villa all three points in a pulsating 2-0 Premier League mid-table win at Chelsea on Saturday. Watkins took his chance in the 18th minute after a mistake from retreating defender Marc Cucurella, who headed a long ball into his path and he calmly lobbed his shot over advancing Chelsea goalkeeper Kepa Arrizabalaga. Chelsea, who enjoyed some 69% possession and 26 shots but as so often this season proved toothless in front of goal, came out guns blazing in the second half only to concede a corner from a Villa break. The ball came out to McGinn and he sent a searing shot from 20 metres past the diving Kepa and into the bottom corner in the 56th minute. Reporting by Clare Lovell, editing by Pritha SarkarOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Momentum with Man City as Arsenal seek to regain winning touch
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-16 | by ( Martyn Herman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Had Arsenal beaten City in the top-of-the-table clash they could have been heading into Saturday's lunchtime kickoff at Aston Villa with the chance to move nine points clear. Arsenal's lunchtime kickoff at Villa gives them the opportunity to lay down a marker and move three points clear again. Villa have suffered back-to-back defeats under former Arsenal manager Unai Emery for the first time since he took charge, but the Spaniard would take satisfaction from getting one over Arteta, the man who replaced him at Arsenal. With so much of the focus on Arsenal and City, Manchester United have quietly moved themselves to within touching distance of the top two. Bournemouth, in 19th place, travel to Wolverhampton Wanderers while third-from-bottom Everton host Leeds United who are just one point above them in 17th.

☆ Defiant Man City see off Villa to close gap on Arsenal
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-12 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

MANCHESTER, England, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Manchester City produced a defiant response to the Premier League's charge sheet as they comfortably beat Aston Villa 3-1 to close to within three points of leaders Arsenal on Sunday. Goals by Rodri, Ilkay Gundogan and Riyad Mahrez put the result beyond doubt by halftime as City got back on track following last weekend's loss at Tottenham Hotspur. Villa were left with mission impossible when Mahrez tucked away a penalty in first-half stoppage time after Jacob Ramsey was adjudged to have tripped former Villa player Jack Grealish. Champions City have 48 points from 22 games to Arsenal's 51 from 21 and can go top if they win at Arsenal on Wednesday. "It was a bad result, but we have to learn and use it in the next matches."

☆ Mbappe dismisses Argentina keeper Martinez's "futile" World Cup taunts
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

PARIS, Dec 29 (Reuters) - France striker Kylian Mbappe has shrugged off Argentina keeper Emiliano Martinez's taunts after the World Cup final, saying he did not "waste energy on such futile things" as he awaited the return of Paris Saint Germain team mate Lionel Messi. Mbappe became the second player to score a World Cup final hat-trick as he dragged his country back into the match with a late second-half double and an extra-time penalty, which was still not enough as Argentina prevailed in a shootout. I don't waste any energy on such futile things," Mbappe told reporters after converting an added time penalty to give PSG a 2-1 win over Strasbourg in his first Ligue 1 game after the World Cup final. Asked about Argentina's World Cup-winning captain Messi, who will return to the Paris club after the New Year, Mbappe said he congratulated him following the final. Aston Villa coach Unai Emery said on Friday that he would talk to Martinez about the keeper's attitude during the World Cup celebrations when he returns to the Midlands club.

☆ Beware the penalty specialist if final goes to shootout
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Mitch Phillips | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The less than magnificent shootout seven:Jamie Carragher, England v Portugal, 2006 World Cup quarter-final. =Marcus Rashford, England v Italy, Euro 2020 final. =Sancho, England v Italy, Euro 2020 final. Italy missed their fifth attempt, which left Bukayo Saka with the chance to keep the shootout going but his was also saved and Italy were European champions. =Badr Benoun, Morocco v Spain, World Cup 2022, last 16.

☆ Morocco knock Spain out of World Cup on penalties
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] Soccer Football - FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 - Round of 16 - Morocco v Spain - Education City Stadium, Al Rayyan, Qatar - December 6, 2022 Morocco's Achraf Hakimi celebrates after scoring the winning penalty during the penalty shootout as Morocco progress to the quarter finals REUTERS/Matthew ChildsAL RAYYAN, Qatar, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Morocco dumped Spain out of the World Cup in a last-16 penalty shootout on Tuesday with Spanish-born Achraf Hakimi scoring the decisive spot-kick after Spain squandered all three of their attempts, following a 0-0 draw over 120 minutes. Hakimi, a product of the Real Madrid youth system, calmly slotted his penalty past Unai Simon in Spain's goal to seal Morocco's 3-0 win in the shootout. During the 90 minutes plus extra time, Spain dominated possession but failed to create many clear chances against Morocco’s stubborn defence. Morocco advanced to a quarter-final clash with either Portugal or Switzerland who meet later on Tuesday. Reporting by William Schomberg, editing by Ed OsmondOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Brave Morocco advance as Spain flop in shootout
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-06 | by ( Fernando Kallas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved spot-kicks from Carlos Soler and Sergio Busquets after Pablo Sarabia had hit the post and Spanish-born Hakimi held his nerve to earn his team a quarter-final against either Portugal or Switzerland. Morocco became only the fourth African nation to reach the last eight of the tournament, 12 years after Ghana did so in South Africa. After a scrappy match finished deadlocked at 0-0 after extra time with few shots on target, Morocco fed off the raucous support of their red-clad supporters in the shootout as Spain crumbled. Spain enjoyed more than 75% of possession and completed almost 800 passes but Morocco caused problems for them on the counter-attack and goalkeeper Unai Simon made some good saves. It was the fourth time Spain have been knocked out of the World Cup on penalties and the second in a row.

The breathtaking win for Japan meant they topped Group E, followed by Spain in second who finished ahead of third-placed Germany only on goal difference. Japan fans were in tears at the end of the match which gives them a chance to go further than they ever have before at a World Cup. "There were many fans who came all the way from Japan, as well as those that stayed behind in Japan," coach Moriyasu said. "We didn't have any danger in the first half, then in the second half, I told them during halftime to be cautious, because they would attack in the second half, they don't have anything to lose," he said. Japan defender Kou Itakura was shown his second yellow card of the tournament and will be suspended for the Croatia match.

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