LIVERPOOL, England: The night started with their team bus being smashed up by beer cans and bottles. It ended with their Champions League ambitions in pieces, too.
Manchester City’s players learnt Wednesday just why a trip to Anfield can be one of the most uncomfortable experiences in European soccer.
On an evening that will go down in the club’s long and storied lore, Liverpool reduced the best team in England to a rattled wreck by beating City 3-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarterfinal match, thanks to three goals in a devastating opening 31 minutes.
Mohamed Salah — with his 38th goal of the season — Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Sadio Mane all scored in front of The Kop, leaving City coach Pep Guardiola scratching his head as he paced his technical area and wondering where it all went wrong.
Was it the fact that his players came under attack before kickoff, with Liverpool fans chucking objects at City’s team bus as it traveled along Anfield Road — the street running alongside the stadium — before turning into the ground?
Was it his tactical decision to drop winger Raheem Sterling and play an extra central midfielder in Ilkay Gundogan, a move that completely backfired?
Or was it the fact that Liverpool can so often be just too hot to handle going forward?
It might have been a mixture of the three. And it leaves City’s dream of a treble — it has already won the League Cup and could clinch the Premier League on Saturday in record time — in tatters.
“In this room,” Guardiola said to reporters, “I think there is nobody, except the guy talking to you, who believes we can go through. There are 90 minutes more, we are going to try.”
As important as Liverpool’s attacking brilliance in the first half was the team’s defensive resilience in the second half.
City finished the game without having a shot on target — “I don’t know how we did that,” Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp said — and its star players muted. David Silva was subdued, Kevin De Bruyne played too deep, Gabriel Jesus barely got a touch.
An away goal would have changed the complexion of the match, especially given that Salah hobbled off injured and could yet be a doubt for next week’s second leg at Etihad Stadium.
But, with center back Dejan Lovren and right back Trent Alexander-Arnold excelling, Liverpool held firm and knows scoring one goal in the return leg at Etihad Stadium on Tuesday leaves City requiring an improbable five.
“We beat the best team in the world,” Klopp said.
“But we have to work,” he added. “You celebrate the party only when the party starts.”
In the other quarterfinal first leg on Wednesday, Barcelona beat Roma 4-1 thanks to a pair of own goals, by Daniele De Rossi and Kostas Manolas, and strikes by Gerard Pique and Luis Suarez.
Like Real Madrid, which won 3-0 at Juventus on Tuesday, Barca look assured of a place in the semifinals. And Liverpool are halfway there as well.
From the moment Liverpool scored the opening goal in the 12th minute, City looked shellshocked.
A stray pass from Leroy Sane allowed Liverpool to counter through James Milner’s pass down the right flank to Salah, who fed Roberto Firmino down the middle. Firmino’s shot was blocked by Kyle Walker, but the Brazilian managed to pass the ball across for Salah to send a rising shot into the net.
Oxlade-Chamberlain had his best game for Liverpool since his summer move from Arsenal and he rifled in the second goal in the 21st after referee Felix Brych played the advantage following Vincent Kompany’s foul from behind on Firmino.
Guardiola shook his head. De Bruyne barked at his teammates. But worse was to come for City.
Salah had a long-range shot blocked but after the ball came back to him, he sent over a curling cross that just went over Fernandinho’s head and was met with a headed finish by Mane.
It threatened to get even uglier for City in the final minutes of the half as they kept getting stretched by Liverpool’s forward, with Nicolas Otamendi having a particularly tough time.
Liverpool didn’t want to hear the halftime whistle. And the sight of Salah hobbling off in the 52nd minute with what appeared a left groin injury gave hope to City.
The introduction of Sterling, for Gundogan, meant City reverted to its usual shape but Liverpool’s defending was excellent.
Liverpool last reached the semifinals in 2008, when it lost to Chelsea. Hold out next week and the Reds will feel they are back where they belong.
Liverpool blow away Manchester City in 3-0 Champions League win, Salah injured
Liverpool blow away Manchester City in 3-0 Champions League win, Salah injured
- Liverpool reduced the best team in England to a rattled wreck
- Salah hobbled off injured, could miss next clash
Related
Hosts Kuwait held by Qatar, Oman and UAE play out draw in Arabian Gulf Cup
- 101st-minute equalizer rescued point for Qatar
- Oman progress, UAE crash out
LONDON: Group A of the Arabian Gulf Cup came to its conclusion on Friday, with hosts Kuwait and Oman both securing the points they needed to progress to the semifinals.
Kuwait thought they had beaten their Gulf rivals with a goal from Mohammad Daham in the 74th minute of the match at the Jaber Al-Ahmad International Stadium in Kuwait City.
But a 101st-minute equalizer from Mohammed Muntari deep into stoppage time rescued some pride for the Qataris, who crashed out of the tournament by failing to win.
In the day’s other match, Oman faced the UAE in another crucial encounter.
The match ended in a 1-1 draw, which secured Oman’s advancement to the next stage and brought the UAE’s campaign to an end.
Al-Ahli Dubai midfielder Yahya Al-Ghassani had given the Emiratis a half-time lead, but they were pegged back by an Abdulrahman Al-Mushaifri equalizer 11 minutes from the end.
The group stages of the Arabian Gulf Cup conclude on Saturday with the final matches in Group B.
Saudi Arabia need a victory against Iraq to guarantee a semifinal spot, while already-qualified Bahrain will look to make it three wins from three when they play Yemen.
Argentine FA opens new Middle East office in Dubai
- Body will now boast permanent base in region, office planned for Saudi Arabia
DUBAI: The Argentine Football Association has expanded its presence in the Middle East with the opening of a new office located in the UAE, and the current world champions are also expected to soon boast a similar presence in Saudi Arabia.
Leandro Petersen, the association’s chief commercial and marketing officer, and Pablo Diaz, head of its international relations, were in attendance at the office’s opening in Dubai.
Located at prime locations, the new offices will enable the Argentine FA to build strategic partnerships and elevate its profile both locally and regionally.
Petersen said: “The opening of a Middle East office is a huge moment for us as we look to establish a permanent presence in the region, giving us a platform to strengthen ties and enhance our current offerings.
“Naturally, having become world champions in Qatar, the Middle East is a region which means so much to not only the Argentinian Football Association, but the entire country, and we are delighted to have a base from where we can build important long-term relationships with both fans and businesses.
“This region is undoubtedly now one of the key global markets, and for us to be positioned in Dubai will open up many opportunities as we expand our presence on a global level.”
It was announced earlier this year that the Argentine FA had partnered with DUNE | 23, a leading UAE-based marketing and communications agency focused on the sport and entertainment sector.
The official ribbon-cutting ceremony took place on Friday at the new DUNE | 23 offices in Dubai. The event was attended by managing partners Lloyd McMillan and Jamie Hosie, who joined Argentine FA representatives to mark the occasion.
Hosie said: “We are proud to partner with the Argentinian Football Association to strengthen its presence across the region.
“Together, we aim to create dynamic events, produce engaging digital content, and unlock new commercial opportunities to ensure the Argentinian FA remains at the forefront of football in the Middle East.”
Howe hopes Newcastle have ‘moved on’ in last two seasons
- Newcastle reached the Champions League for the first time in 20 years when they qualified for last season’s competition
- Newcastle slipped to 12th place after a 4-2 defeat at Brentford on December 7, but have since rallied
LONDON: Eddie Howe hopes his current Newcastle team have “moved on” from the one which finished fourth in the Premier League two seasons ago.
The Magpies continued an impressive run of results on Thursday by beating 10-man Aston Villa 3-0 at St. James’ Park — their fourth straight win in all competitions.
Newcastle climbed to fifth in the table and within six points of second-placed Chelsea.
Newcastle reached the Champions League for the first time in 20 years when they qualified for last season’s competition.
“I’d hope we’ve moved on from that team,” Howe said.
“You can never go back in time and replicate what that team was. That team was an outstanding side...
“But you can never go back. It’s all about the future. We’ve signed some new players, the dynamic is slightly different and for me, the evolution of the team always had to be that we wanted to be better with the ball, we wanted to control the game more with the ball.”
Newcastle went ahead in just the second minute through Anthony Gordon’s strike before Villa striker Jhon Duran was controversially sent off.
Further goals from Alexander Isak — his 10th in as many league games — and Joelinton secured all three points.
Newcastle slipped to 12th place after a 4-2 defeat at Brentford on December 7, but have since rallied.
“We’re shooting for whatever we can shoot for,” Howe said when asked about Newcastle’s top-four hopes.
“We’ll take small steps, we’ll go game-by-game, but I’m really heartened by how the team is playing.”
Markram leads South Africa to 180-5 in 1st Test against Pakistan
- Aiden Markram was batting on an attractive 81 off 123 balls before Pakistan hit back with two wickets in the latter half of the first session
- Pakistan were dismissed for 211 on Day 1 after Dane Paterson grabbed his second successive five-wicket haul, Corbin Bosch claimed 4-63
CENTURION: Opening batter Aiden Markram closed in on his eighth Test century and led South Africa to 180-5 at lunch on the second day of the first Test against Pakistan on Friday.
South Africa, which needs to win one of the two Test matches against Pakistan to seal a place in the final of the World Test Championship at Lord’s next year, trails the visitors by 31 on a pitch tailor-made for fast bowlers.
Markram was batting on an attractive 81 off 123 balls before Pakistan hit back with two wickets in the latter half of the first session with captain Temba Bavuma (31) and David Bedingham (30) both edging behind the wickets.
Wicketkeeper-batter Kyle Verreynne was yet to score but Markram stood tall in the first session and helped South Africa score 98 runs before lunch for the loss of two wickets.
Resuming on 82-3, Markram completed his half century with an exquisite cover driven boundary off Naseem Shah and stretched the fourth-wicket stand to 70 runs with Bavuma before Pakistan got its first breakthrough.
Aamer Jamal was rewarded for his persistent length balls to Bavuma as the South African skipper finally got a thick outside edge while going for a loose drive.
Bedingham counterattacked from the onset, smashing five boundaries in his 33-ball knock and also survived when Pakistan unsuccessfully went for an lbw television review against Naseem Shah’s full pitched delivery, which television replays suggested would have missed the leg stump.
However, Naseem didn’t have to wait long as Bedingham was beaten by some extra bounce and nicked it in the first slip in the penultimate over before lunch.
Pakistan was dismissed for 211 on Day 1 after Dane Paterson (5-61) grabbed his second successive five-wicket haul and debutant Corbin Bosch claimed 4-63, which included a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket.
Swiatek not expecting WADA appeal over doping scandal
- Pole tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine in an out-of-competition sample in August when she was ranked number one
SYDNEY: World number two Iga Swiatek said on Friday she was ready to put a drugs scandal behind her, insisting there was no reason for the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) to appeal against her case.
The 23-year-old Pole tested positive for the heart medication trimetazidine (TMZ) in an out-of-competition sample in August when she was ranked number one.
However, the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) accepted that the violation was not intentional and she escaped with a one-month sanction that saw her miss three tournaments in Asia and lose her top ranking.
News of the saga only emerged in late November and she will play her first tournament since then at the mixed-teams United Cup in Sydney ahead of the Australian Open next month.
Swiatek said that, while the incident had been “mentally tough,” the public response had been generally positive, allaying fears that she would be ostracized.
“I think people, most of them, are understanding,” said the five-time Grand Slam champion.
“And the ones who read the documents and are aware of how the system works, they know that I had no fault and I had no influence on what was going on.
“I try to just go on with my life and focus on different things, focus on preparing for the season and on tennis, because this is the best thing you can do after a case like that,” she said.
Her case is similar to that of Italian men’s world number one Jannik Sinner.
He was exonerated by the ITIA for twice testing positive for traces of the steroid clostebol in March. But WADA appealed against the decision in September and he is awaiting the outcome.
Swiatek said she does not anticipate WADA will follow the same path with her.
“I gave every possible evidence and there is not much, honestly, more to do,” she said.
“There is no point to do an appeal in our opinion.
“But, you know, I guess overall, this whole process was pretty abstract sometimes and hard to understand from a point of view where you don’t think about the law and everything.
“But honestly, this is about the law and the wording and this kind of stuff. So I’m not expecting an appeal, but I have kind of no influence on what’s going to happen.
“But I can say from the processes that I went through and how they treated me from the beginning, that it seemed fair for me,” she said.
“I managed to give the source (of the contamination) pretty quickly. That’s why the case closed, pretty quickly.”
