Sports
Saka scores as Arsenal beat Fulham to close gap on Liverpool
Bukayo Saka marked his return from injury with a goal as Arsenal defeated Fulham 2-1 on Tuesday, cutting the gap on Premier League leaders Liverpool to nine points.
The England international, who had been sidelined for 101 days, came off the bench to head in Arsenal’s second goal on his first appearance since December 21. Mikel Merino had earlier given the Gunners the lead with a deflected first-half effort.
Despite the win, Arsenal suffered a setback as key defender Gabriel Magalhães limped off with an injury.
Jurrien Timber also left the pitch late on with a knee problem, adding to Mikel Arteta’s injury concerns ahead of next week’s Champions League quarter-final first leg against Real Madrid.
“(We are) worried because he never wants to come off, and he had to,” Arteta said about Gabriel. “He felt he could not continue.”
Saka’s return was met with a rousing ovation from the Emirates crowd.
“It was a good opportunity to see how much people love him and missed him,” Arteta said. “The reception he got was magnificent. He lifts the stadium, and I am so happy for him because he fully deserves it.”
Rodrigo Muniz scored a stoppage-time goal for Fulham, but the defeat dents their hopes of qualifying for European football next season. The Cottagers remain eighth, three points behind a top-five finish that could secure a Champions League spot next season.
While Liverpool remain in control of the title race, Arsenal’s top-five finish looks assured, as they now sit 14 points clear of sixth-placed Newcastle.
Arteta’s side are on course for a second consecutive runners-up finish, but with Saka back in action, they will hope to push Liverpool until the end—and make a deep run in Europe’s elite competition.
Arsenal draw Brentford as hope of making it to the top continues to dwindle.
Arsenal after a superlative display against Real Madrid could not pull a win against Brentford at Emirates.
Most popular ex-captain and head coach of the Super Eagles, Christian Chukwu, is dead.
He was 74.
The football legend reportedly passed away in the early hours of Saturday though the exact circumstances surrounding the situation remain unclear as of the time of filing this report.
His longtime teammate and friend, Dr. Olusegun Odegbami, confirmed the development.
Odegbami, who won the 1980 Africa Nation Cup with Chukwu, said: ‘I just received the news that between 9:00 and 10:00 this morning, “Chairman” Christian Chukwu, MFR, my bosom friend and teammate, one of the greatest football players in Nigeria’s history, has passed on’.
Born 4 January 1951, Chukwu had an illustrious career with Rangers captaining them to many laurels on the domestic football scene and led the Flying Antelopes to continental glory by winning the now rested African Cup Winners Cup in 1977.
Mikel Arteta had asked the Arsenal fans to arrive early to create an impressive atmosphere inside the stadium, and the team responded by starting the game quickly with a number of dangerous crosses into the Madrid penalty area.
It took until the 20th minute for Madrid to have their first real chance, when Vinicius Jr curled an effort wide.
But Rice took control of the tie for Arsenal in the second half.
Declan Rice stunned Real Madrid with two brilliant free kicks – the first scored in his career – as Arsenal took a commanding 3-0 first leg lead in their Champions League quarter-final.
The Gunners were the better side all evening and took the lead in the 58th minute, when Rice curled the first of two excellent free-kicks round the Real Madrid wall into the corner of the net past Thibaut Courtois.
Rice scored his second of the night with a free-kick of equal quality 12 minutes later, bending another long-range effort into the top right-hand corner to leave Madrid stunned.
Mikel Merino then made sure it was a memorable night for Arsenal when he curled a shot into the bottom corner from inside the area just five minutes later.
Things only got worse for Madrid when Eduardo Camavinga was sent off in stoppage time for picking up a second yellow card.
Arsenal have not reached the semi-finals stage of the Champions League since the 2008-09 season, but they have given themselves a huge chance of progressing to the last four with this result. [BBC]
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