LONDON: Manchester United threw open the race for the final Champions League qualification spots in the Premier League by beating fourth-place Chelsea 2-0 thanks to headers by Anthony Martial and Harry Maguire on Monday.
With 12 games remaining, seven points separate Chelsea and 11th-place Burnley, with the team finishing fifth also set to earn a place in next season’s Champions League following UEFA’s decision to punish Man City for serious breaches of financial regulations by handing the English champions a two-year European ban.
Martial glanced in a header off a right-wing cross by Aaron Wan-Bissaka to give United the lead in the 45th minute at Stamford Bridge, before Maguire planted home a corner from January signing Bruno Fernandes in the 66th.
Maguire, United’s captain, was perhaps fortunate to still be on the field, with the match officials opting not to punish the England defender for appearing to kick out at Michy Batshuayi after tumbling off the playing surface in front of the dugouts.
“I know I caught him but I felt like he was going to fall on me and the natural reaction was to straighten my leg so that if he was to fall on me, to hold him up,” Maguire said. “It probably looks worse than it was.
“I did catch him ... but I knew at the time I had no intent to hurt him or kick him.”
Chelsea was on the wrong end of two other decisions by VAR, firstly disallowing a volleyed goal by Kurt Zouma in the 56th because of a push by Cesar Azpilicueta on United left back Brandon Williams. Azpilicueta seemed to have been pushed a split-second earlier by Fred.
Then, with 13 minutes to go, substitute Olivier Giroud had a goal ruled out by VAR for a tight offside, leaving Chelsea manager Frank Lampard looking thoroughly glum as he sat in his technical area.
Chelsea has long been in fourth place, but has only won three of its last 11 games in the league to give a slew of rivals clubs hope of catching up.
One of them is United, which climbed to seventh place with this win — three points behind Chelsea and two adrift of fifth-place Tottenham.
“This season, we have been far too inconsistent,” Maguire said. “We have won at Manchester City, beat Chelsea at home, got a point against Liverpool, but we have let ourselves down against the teams where the pressure is on to break them down.”
Injury problems are starting to bite at Chelsea, too. Top scorer Tammy Abraham and winger Callum Hudson-Odoi missed the game because of injury, while central midfielder N’Golo Kante lasted 11 minutes before hobbling off. Center back Andreas Christensen didn’t come out for the second half after sustaining a knock to the head late in the first period, just before Martial beat the Denmark defender to a header for the first goal.
Lampard’s main gripe, though, was his team’s failure to finish off chances once again. Batshuayi was the biggest culprit, spurning two great chances in the first half in his first start in the league this season.
“We are fourth because of some of the good stuff we’ve done and because of the nature of the league, everyone taking points off each other,” Lampard said. “But there’s a lot of work to do because you can see the problem — that’s putting the ball in the back of the net.
“I feel like a broken record. We have to put things to bed by scoring goals.”
Chelsea hosts Tottenham on Saturday and would finally get overtaken with another loss.
“The season starts here,” Lampard said.
Nigeria striker Odion Ighalo, who signed for United on deadline day in the January transfer window, came on in second-half stoppage time for his debut and had a late chance saved by Willy Caballero, who again started in goal ahead of Kepa Arrizabalaga.
Two players struck the post from free kicks in the second half, Fernandes for United and Mason Mount for Chelsea.
Man United beats Chelsea 2-0, throws open race for Champions League spots
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Man United beats Chelsea 2-0, throws open race for Champions League spots
- Headers by Anthony Martial and Harry Maguire ensured the win
Benzema strikes again as Al-Ittihad go level with Al-Hilal
- Jeddah giants have 43 points after 16 games
- Benzema made no mistake three minutes into added time
JEDDAH: In-form Karim Benzema fired Al-Ittihad to a 2-1 win over Al-Shabab on Wednesday that puts the hosts back level with Al-Hilal at the top of the Saudi Pro League.
The Jeddah giants have 43 points after 16 games, behind Al-Hilal, who defeated Al-Wehda 4-1 on Tuesday, on goal difference. Al-Qadsia are nine points behind in third.
It was a hard-fought win against the visitors from the capital. Al-Ittihad thought they had taken the lead just before the half-hour but Hassan Kadesh’s goal was disallowed for offside.
Fans at King Abdullah Sports City were soon celebrating for real. Benzema had his close-range effort bounce off the goalkeeper but Abdulrahman Al-Oboud was on hand to bundle the ball into the net.
Three minutes into added time, Benzema made no mistake. Hamed Al-Ghamdi had possession on the right side of the area and the oncoming French striker demanded and received the pass, to sweep a first-time shot inside the far post.
It was a fine strike and Benzema’s 12th league goal of the season, to put him level in second place in the scoring rankings along with Aleksandar Mitrovic and just one behind Cristiano Ronaldo. With six assists to his name, the former Real Madrid man already has more goal contributions in his second season in Saudi Arabia, which is one game away from the halfway stage, than he managed in the entirety of his first campaign.
Coach Laurent Blanc was furious two minutes later, however, as the nine-time champions lost concentration with half-time approaching. Daniel Podence had space on the left and the Portuguese star’s low cross found Haroune Camara, who had got in front of his marker inside the six-yard box to reduce the arrears.
The second half saw the Tigers have more of the ball and the chances, but Al-Shabab, with former Ittihad star Abderrazak Hamdallah — who received a warm welcome from fans — leading the line, always carried an air of danger. They were not able to get the all-important equalizer as the hosts took the points to make them level at the top of the league.
Powerboat racers look forward to start of 2025 UIM E1 World Championship in Jeddah on Friday
- Opening round of the competition is taking place in Saudi Arabia for a second year in a row, following the inaugural season last year
- 9 international teams with superstar owners will compete, each featuring one male and one female pilot in control of electric boats capable of speeds of more than 80 kph
JEDDAH: Rafael Nadal, Will Smith, Sergio Perez, Tom Brady, Steve Aoki, Virat Kohli, Mark Anthony and Didier Drogba are among the superstar electric-powerboat team owners hoping to make waves on Jeddah’s corniche this weekend as the 2025 UIM E1 World Championship gets underway on Jan. 24 and 25.
The first round of the competition is taking place in the Kingdom for a second year in a row, following its inaugural season last year. Nine international teams will compete, each featuring one male and one female pilot in control of RaceBird electric boats that use cutting-edge hydrofoil technology and can reach speeds of more than 80 kph.
“It’s so great to return to Jeddah for the 2025 UIM E1 World Championship as we kick off our first racing of the year,” said Rody Passo, the CEO and co-founder of the E1 series.
“The success of the last edition met our expectations and the preparations are at their best thanks to the combined efforts.”
He thanked the Saudi Water Sports and Diving Federation and the Ministry of Sport, which are organizing the Jeddah event in partnership with powerboat governing body Union Internationale Motonautique, for their help and added: “The fans will have a thrilling race, a wonderful atmosphere and great experience, and we look forward to the launch of the event.”
Saudi racer Mashael Al-Obaidan, of Aoki Racing, said: “I am proud to represent the Kingdom in this sporting event, which is part of a series of global events on our home soil.
“I am so grateful for this opportunity to compete in front of my family and the local community here, which would not have been possible without the great support we receive as athletes under the vision of our wise leadership.”
Emma Kimilainen from Finland and Sam Coleman from the UK, pilots with reigning champions Team Brady, said they hope to repeat last year’s success to win the trophy for a second year in a row.
“It is important to implement the strategy that will be developed and exploit the data and statistics provided by advanced technologies in cooperation with the team’s partners,” said Coleman.
Kimilainen added: “I’m excited to kick off season two with Team Brady after an incredible first season together. Being on top will take hard work but we’re a competitive team and we’re ready for the challenge.”
This year’s championship will feature seven rounds, compared with five last year, each taking place in a different city around the world
Amorim after his shocking claim about Man United: ‘I won’t promise I won’t do it again’
- “If you want, I can be delusional and say different things,” Amorim said
- Amorim’s shocking comment came after a 3-1 home loss to Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday
MANCHESTER: Ruben Amorim has acknowledged he might have made a mistake when he went public in describing his team as “the worst, maybe, in the history of Manchester United.”
Just don’t expect him to hold back his opinions going forward.
“If you want, I can be delusional and say different things,” Amorim said Wednesday at his first news conference since his remark that captured headlines and widespread attention.
“I say it as I saw it. I said it to the players and I said to you,” he told reporters. “I think it’s a good thing to be honest. If you want me to say different things — you saw one thing, I saw one thing — I can start to do that. It’s easier for me. But what I’m seeing, they know. If you are in the stadium, you can understand. Let’s face it and work on it.”
Amorim’s shocking comment came after a 3-1 home loss to Brighton in the Premier League on Sunday.
It was a fourth loss in United’s last five home games in the league, and a seventh defeat in 15 games in all competitions since Amorim took charge in November as the replacement for Erik ten Hag.
United, the record 20-time English champion, are 13th in the 20-team Premier League and closer to the relegation zone than the European qualification spots after 22 of 38 games.
Amorim denied that he was shifting blame toward his players. The 39-year-old Portuguese coach said: “I am (most) responsible for the performances and the results.
“I am a young guy and sometimes I make a mistake. This time I needed to talk. Maybe it was a mistake and I get more nervous and go to the (media) conference really nervous, and then you say things you shouldn’t say … I won’t promise I won’t do it again but I will try to improve.”
Amorim was speaking ahead of United’s Europa League game against Scottish rival Rangers at Old Trafford on Thursday. He said his players were “more nervous” and “anxious” playing at home and that was making it harder for the team to pick up results.
“If you have a little inexperience when you fall into this type of context, it’s hard to go up — especially when you are in a massive club,” Amorim said.
“That was my only point in saying it after that loss. The way I do it? Maybe not but it is what it is. I am like that all the time.”
Australian Open: Ben Shelton will face defending champion Jannik Sinner in the semifinals
- “I’m relieved,” said Shelton, who will meet No. 1 Jannik Sinner of Italy on Friday
- Sinner looked and played much better than he did — hand trembling, head dizzy — during a four-set struggle against Holger Rune in the fourth round
MELBOURNE: Ben Shelton’s Australian Open quarterfinal foe, Lorenzo Sonego, produced the shot of the tournament — diving to his left for a volley with so much spin that the ball bounced on one side of the net, then floated back over to the other — but it was the American who ended up with the victory Wednesday.
The left-handed Shelton did some entertaining of his own, including earning cheers by doing a couple of push-ups after tumbling in the concluding tiebreaker, and he reached his second Grand Slam semifinal at age 22 by beating the unseeded Sonego 6-4, 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (4).
“I’m relieved,” said Shelton, who will meet No. 1 Jannik Sinner of Italy on Friday for a spot in the final. “Shout out Lorenzo Sonego because that was some ridiculous tennis.”
Sinner, the defending champion at Melbourne Park, completely overwhelmed the last Australian in the men’s bracket, No. 8 Alex de Minaur, 6-3, 6-2, 6-1 at night.
“It’s been too many times playing him and seeing the same thing. So I’m not even surprised anymore when I face him,” said de Minaur, who is now 0-10 against Sinner over their careers. “Matches like these happen.”
Sinner looked and played much better than he did — hand trembling, head dizzy — during a four-set struggle against Holger Rune in the fourth round. After giving himself a bit of a break on Tuesday, sleeping in and only hitting on court for about 30 or 40 minutes, Sinner said his body was much better.
“For sure, was (my) best match of the tournament so far,” said Sinner, who stretched his unbeaten winning streak to 19 matches dating back to last season.
Shelton, who is seeded 21st, closed the first set against Sonego with a 144 mph (232 kph) ace, tied for the fastest serve over the past 1 1/2 weeks, and flexed his left arm after smacking a powerful forehand to close a 22-stroke point and earn a break in the second. His father Bryan, a former tour pro who is Ben’s coach, grinned, too, while patting his own right biceps.
A few points from the end, Shelton sprinted to get his racket on a seemingly unreachable ball, and fell into a courtside advertising board as Sonego hit an easy winner to take the point.
Shelton stayed on the ground for a bit, then earned applause for his effort — and post-fall calisthenics.
When Shelton closed things with a 26th forehand winner — he had zero via backhands — he flexed again and sneered until his expression morphed into a smile.
At his news conference, Shelton offered some unprompted comments critical of some of the people handling on-court post-match interviews.
As good as Shelton is with his serves and forehands, his improving return game is a significant part of what carried him to the final four at the Australian Open for the first time.
He did just enough in that department, accumulating 11 break points and converting three, against Sonego, an Italian ranked 55th. Shelton entered the match coming through on 52 percent of his break chances, the highest rate among the eight men’s quarterfinalists.
Shelton lost to Novak Djokovic in the 2023 US Open semifinals.
The other semifinal will be Djokovic vs. No. 2 Alexander Zverev. Djokovic continued his pursuit of an 11th Australian Open title, and unprecedented 25th major trophy, by overcoming a leg injury and Carlos Alcaraz 4-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4 in a quarterfinal that began Tuesday night and ended at nearly 1 a.m. on Wednesday.
The women’s semifinals Thursday night are No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, the tournament winner in each of the last two years, against No. 11 Paula Badosa, and No. 2 Iga Swiatek against No. 19 Madison Keys.
The crowd-pleasing factor was high for Shelton vs. Sonego, who never before had made it this far at a major.
Sonego went 67-for-90 on trips to the net, and his highlight-reel volley came at the outset of the second set. It was so remarkable that Shelton acknowledged the effort by offering a congratulatory handshake.
There was another terrific shot by Sonego in the fourth set, when he raced with his back to the net and spun to hit a hook shot of sorts that resulted in a winner.
It’s Shelton, though, who will get to keep playing in Melbourne this year.
Lewis Hamilton waves to fans as he drives a Ferrari F1 car for the first time
- Hamilton was behind the wheel of a 2023-specification Ferrari SF-23 bearing his racing number, 44, at the team’s Fiorano test track
- The 40-year-old British driver set out for his first lap at 9:16 a.m. local time in light fog and twice waved to a crowd of around 1,000 spectators
MODENA, Italy: Lewis Hamilton greeted a crowd of waiting fans on Wednesday as he drove a Ferrari Formula 1 car for the first time since joining the Italian team for the 2025 season.
Hamilton was behind the wheel of a 2023-specification Ferrari SF-23 bearing his racing number, 44, at the team’s Fiorano test track, and wore a new helmet design in yellow with a prominent Prancing Horse logo.
The 40-year-old British driver set out for his first lap at 9:16 a.m. local time in light fog and twice waved to a crowd of around 1,000 spectators, who had gathered on a nearby bridge despite the cold and wet weather.
Part-way through the day, Hamilton headed over to fans who had waited for hours in the wet conditions since early morning for a glimpse of him behind the wheel. Wearing a jacket in Ferrari red, he waved, gave a thumbs-up gesture and put a hand to his heart.
There was excitement Wednesday from one of Italy’s biggest sports stars, too.
After reaching the semifinals at the Australian Open, top-ranked tennis player Jannik Sinner was asked by an Italian reporter if he had seen anything on social media about Hamilton’s Ferrari debut.
“It’s still pretty strange to see him in red,” Sinner said, “but it’ll be a great season.”
Hamilton has shaken up F1 with his move to Ferrari after 12 years with Mercedes, where he won six of his seven world titles. He has said he’s fulfilling a childhood dream.
“I’ve been lucky enough to have achieved things in my career I never thought possible, but part of me has always held on to that dream of racing in red. I couldn’t be happier to realize that dream today,” he said Monday after arriving at Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters for his first day at work with the new team.
F1 tightly restricts teams from testing current-specification cars but the rules are more loose for older cars like the SF-23 that Hamilton drove Wednesday. The F1 regulations for 2025 allow Hamilton to drive up to 1,000 kilometers (621 miles) over four days in older F1 cars under the “testing of previous cars” rule. The SF-23 is the most recent Ferrari that’s eligible.
Pre-season testing for the new season’s cars is from Feb. 26 through 28 in Bahrain.
