Sports
Xhaka Scores As 10-Man Leverkusen Lift German Cup To Claim A First Double
Granit Xhaka scored the only goal as a 10-man Bayer Leverkusen beat Kaiserslautern 1-0 to lift the German Cup in Berlin on Saturday and give the club the league-cup double.
Crowned Bundesliga champions in mid-April, Leverkusen were made to fight hard against their second-division opponents, playing with a man down after Odilon Kossounou’s second yellow late in the first half.
Xhaka’s 16th-minute goal, a beautiful long-range strike with his left foot, made the difference as Leverkusen bounced back from Wednesday’s Europa League final loss to Atalanta — which ended both their season-long unbeaten run at 51 games and their hopes of a treble.
“To win like that at the end, we showed our team spirit. We fought hard, we did it for everyone, the fans, the club,” Xabi Alonso told Germany’s ARD.
“To achieve the double. It’s been a great season”.
Kaiserslautern, four-time German champions stranded in the lower leagues since 2012, were bidding to become just the second club from outside the top division to lift the Cup after Hannover in 1992.
Narrowly avoiding relegation to the third league this season, Kaiserslautern only faced one top-division club on the way to the final — the since-relegated Cologne.
Kossounou, who was left out of Wednesday’s loss in Dublin, returned to the starting line-up and picked up a yellow card after just two minutes for a robust challenge on Kenny Prince Redondo.
Leverkusen then took the lead after 16 minutes, long-range expert Xhaka blasting in from well outside the penalty area.
Kaiserslautern almost struck a blow moments after the red card when Tobias Raschl lashed a shot inches wide of the post.
Kossounou’s early yellow proved crucial when the Ivorian was sent from the pitch after a second booking in the 44th minute.
Alonso, who sat with his head in his hands after Kossounou’s dismissal, made two changes at half-time, hooking striker Patrik Schick and winger Jonas Hofmann in favour of defensive reinforcements.
Driven on by a passionate set of travelling fans who unveiled a giant Red Devil, the club’s mascot, just before kick-off, Kaiserslautern smelt blood but lacked the quality to break Leverkusen down.
Leverkusen’s incredible season was built on front-foot football but Alonso’s side were content to sit back and defend in the second half before attacking on the counter.
The experienced ex-player Alonso also tried to take the chaos out of the game, at one point stopping his own side’s counter attack by grabbing Florian Wirtz with both arms to halt a throw-in.
Leverkusen held on to win another piece of silverware this season, doubling the trophy tally in the club’s entire history, after winning the German Cup in 1993 and the 1988 UEFA Cup.
The final was the first not to feature one of Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund or RB Leipzig since 2012 — who boast a combined 27 German Cups.
News
Haaland signs 10-year contract with Manchester City
By Francesca Hangeior.
Manchester City striker Erling Haaland has signed a new 10-year contract that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2034, the club announced on Friday.
The 24-year-old Norwegian, who joined City from Borussia Dortmund in 2022, has been a pivotal figure in the club’s recent successes.
His initial contract was set to expire in 2027, but the new deal reflects the club’s confidence in Haaland’s importance to their future.
“Erling Haaland has signed a new 10-year Manchester City contract, keeping him at the Club until the summer of 2034,” the statement said.
Reflecting on the new contract, Haaland expressed his delight at extending his stay.
“I am really happy to have signed my new contract and to be able to look forward to spending even more time at this great club.
“Manchester City is a special club, full of fantastic people with amazing supporters, and it’s the type of environment that helps bring the best out of everybody,” he said.
Haaland thanked his teammates, manager Pep Guardiola, and the City staff, stating, “They have made this such a special place to be, and now I am City no matter what. I want to keep developing, keep working to get better, and help us achieve more success going forward.”
Since his arrival, Haaland’s impact has been nothing short of extraordinary. In his debut 2022/23 season, he scored 52 goals across all competitions, the highest-ever tally by a Premier League player in a single season, breaking the previous league record of 36 goals.
His goals were instrumental in City’s historic treble-winning campaign, which included the Premier League, FA Cup, and Champions League titles.
In addition to collective success, Haaland garnered numerous individual accolades in his debut season, including the PFA Player of the Year, Premier League Player of the Year, Young Player of the Year, and the Football Writers’ Association Player of the Year awards.
Despite an injury that sidelined him for nearly two months during the 2023/24 season, Haaland continued his prolific form, scoring 38 goals in 45 appearances, including 27 in the Premier League, securing a second consecutive Golden Boot.
Sports
SAD: Footballer slumps, dies during match in Osun
By Francesca Hangeior.
Osun State Police Command has confirmed the death of Adeyemi Adewale, a football player for the Ilesa West Local Government Area team, who slumped during a match in Osogbo, the state capital.
Adewale, 29, was participating in the Adeleke Memorial Cup Final match at the Ataoja School of Science on Thursday when he collapsed on the field.
Efforts to save him proved futile as he was rushed to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, where doctors confirmed him dead upon arrival.
Spokesperson for the Osun Police Command, Yemisi Opalola, confirmed the incident in a statement, adding that investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death have commenced.
“Today, (Thursday) while the Adeleke Memorial Cup Final match was going on at Ataoja School of Science, one Adeyemi Adewale ‘M’ 29yrs, a player of Ilesa West Football team, slumped on the pitch.
“He was rushed to the Osun State University Teaching Hospital, where he was later confirmed dead by a doctor,” the statement said.
The remains of the deceased have been deposited at the teaching hospital’s morgue.
Sports
Remarkable Comeback As Amad Diallo 12 Minute Hat-trick Seals Victory For Manchester United Vs Southampton
Three late goals from Amad Diallo dragged a below-par Manchester United to a 3-1 comeback victory over Southampton in the Premier League on Thursday.
Amad Diallo proved the saviour for Manchester United once again as they came from behind to sneak a late win against basement club Southampton.
United will have fancied their chances of getting back to winning ways against bottom of the table Southampton, but the hosts were second best from the off, deservedly falling behind to a Manuel Ugarte own goal just before halftime.
Staring down the barrel of another home defeat, United upped the ante after the break, getting back on level terms through Diallo eight minutes from time, before the Ivorian completed the turnaround in the 90th minute.
Amad Diallo is the hero for the hosts, his hat-trick getting them out of a huge hole against a Southampton team who deserved more than they got from the game.
An absorbing and entertaining game ends in a home victory.
Manchester United and Ruben Amorim have Amad Diallo to thank for saving their blushes.
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