Salah extends scoring streak to send Liverpool joint top of Premier League

Liverpool's Mohamed Salah celebrates scoring his side's opening goal during the English Premier League soccer match between Liverpool and Brentford at Anfield stadium in Liverpool, England, Sunday, Nov. 12, 2023. (AP)
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Updated 12 November 2023
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Salah extends scoring streak to send Liverpool joint top of Premier League

  • The Egyptian took his tally for the season to 12, nine of which have come at Anfield, as Liverpool continued their perfect record at home this season

LIVERPOOL: Liverpool moved level on points with Manchester City and Arsenal at the top of the Premier League as Mohamed Salah extended his scoring streak at Anfield with a double in a 3-0 win over Brentford on Sunday.
The Egyptian took his tally for the season to 12, nine of which have come at Anfield, as Liverpool continued their perfect record at home this season.
Nine of Salah’s goals have come from Darwin Nunez assists and the Uruguayan played provider to break the deadlock after being frustrated in front of goal earlier in the first half.
Twice Nunez had the ball in the net only to be ruled offside.
But his clever pass into Salah was met with a calm finish into the far corner to open the floodgates on 39 minutes.
Salah is the first player ever to score in each of Liverpool’s first six home league games of a season.
Brentford had their chances as Alisson Becker was needed to make great saves to deny Ethan Pinnock and Bryan Mbeumo.
However, there was no way back for the Bees once Salah was left unmarked to head in Kostas Tsimikas’ cross to the back post on the hour mark.
Diogo Jota then fired in the third 16 minutes from time as Liverpool made it nine wins and 27 goals from nine games at Anfield in all competitions this season.
City can restore their three-point lead at the top of the table when the champions travel to Chelsea later on Sunday.
Aston Villa made it 13 consecutive home wins in the Premier League as Unai Emery’s side eased past Fulham 3-1.
Antonee Robinson’s own goal and a sweet strike from outside the box by Villa captain John McGinn put the hosts in command by half-time.
A superb counter-attack, rounded off by Ollie Watkins, secured the points midway through the second half, before Raul Jimenez pulled a goal back for Fulham.
Victory lifts Villa up to fifth and within a point of the top four.
West Ham snapped their streak of three consecutive Premier League defeats with a thrilling 3-2 victory over Nottingham Forest.
Lucas Paqueta’s fine strike had given the Hammers a perfect start after three minutes, but they needed to rely on their threat from set-pieces to turn the game around in the second half.
Goals either side of the break from Taiwo Awoniyi and Anthony Elanga had put Forest 2-1 up.
However, two James Ward-Prowse corners were headed in by Jarrod Bowen and Tomas Soucek to ease any rising pressure on David Moyes.
Brighton may have enjoyed famous back-to-back victories over Ajax in the Europa League, but the Seagulls struggles domestically go on after Sheffield United snatched a 1-1 draw from the Amex.
Roberto De Zerbi’s men were in complete control as Simon Adingra opened the scoring.
But Brighton were forced to see out the final 20 minutes with 10 men when Mahmoud Dahoud was sent-off and the Blades took advantage to level through Adam Webster’s own goal.
A point edges Sheffield United off the bottom of the table and within four points of safety.


Spain thrash grieving Portugal 5-0 in Women’s Euro clash

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Spain thrash grieving Portugal 5-0 in Women’s Euro clash

  • Spain’s victory was their biggest in a European Championship, surpassing their 4-1 win over Finland in 2022
  • With Italy having defeated Belgium 1-0 earlier in the evening, Spain top the group with the Italians second

BERN, Switzerland: Spain striker Esther Gonzalez scored twice in the first half as her side powered to a 5-0 win over Portugal at the Women’s Euros that was overshadowed by the deaths of Portugal international Diogo Jota and his brother Andre Silva in a car accident earlier on Thursday.

On an emotional night that began with a minute’s silence for the brothers, Portugal went behind almost immediately, Olga Carmona putting the ball over the top for Gonzalez to run on to and score in the second minute.

Mariona Caldentey did superbly to pull the ball across the box for Vicky Lopez to score the second goal five minutes later.

The Portuguese managed to steady the ship but they were rocked again four minutes before the break when Alexia Putellas took down another great pass from Caldentey on her chest before calmly cutting inside and firing home.

“I highlight our mindset, how we came out to play,” Putellas said. “We were really eager to get started but it’s only the first match.”

There was more misery to come for Portugal before halftime as Gonzalez netted her second goal two minutes later, scoring from close range after Claudia Pina’s cross came back off the far post.

The world champions were delighted to be able to bring in Aitana Bonmati from the bench following her recent brush with viral meningitis, and the playmaker wasted no time getting into the thick of things, setting up a chance for Cristina Martin-Prieto.

“Aitana is a very important player for us. We are delighted that she is back and has overcome her illness. It is a joy,” Putellas said.

Portugal showed more composure in the second half but they were no match for Spain’s power, precision and technique and, though they held Spain at bay for most of the second half, Martin-Prieto scored with a superb late header to complete the rout.

“We conceded early goals and the team became anxious and unsettled,” said Portugal forward Diana Silva. “We couldn’t get hold of the ball and then it’s harder to chase the result. We were much better in the second half, more united. We didn’t allow Spain so much space to get in.

“We believe until the end, our goal is to earn points until the end and everything is still up for grabs.”

Silva and her teammates remained on the pitch after the final whistle, posing in front of their fans with a huge black banner in memory of Jota.

Spain’s victory was their biggest in a European Championship, surpassing their 4-1 win over Finland in 2022, and was the ideal start for what the tournament favorites hope will be their first Women’s Euro title.

With Italy having defeated Belgium 1-0 earlier in the evening, Spain top the group with the Italians second. Spain take on the Belgians in their next game, while Portugal face Italy.
 


‘Difficult day’ for Al-Hilal’s Portugal pair — Inzaghi

Updated 04 July 2025
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‘Difficult day’ for Al-Hilal’s Portugal pair — Inzaghi

ORLANDO, US: Al-Hilal coach Simone Inzaghi said the death of Liverpool and Portugal forward Diogo Jota had impacted his team ahead of their Club World Cup quarter-final against Fluminense on Friday.
The Saudi club’s full-back Joao Cancelo is a Portugal international and midfielder Ruben Neves was a team-mate of Jota with both the Portugal national team and at Premier League club Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The 28-year-old Jota died alongside his younger brother Andre after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northern Spain before bursting into flames on Thursday.
“We all know it’s a sad day because of what happened to Diogo and Andre, unfortunately, these are things that shouldn’t happen, which happened,” said the Italian.
“As we are all aware, we have two Portuguese players, Ruben Neves and Cancelo, who were very close to the guys. Clearly today was a difficult day for everyone. We tried to work but clearly, the atmosphere today was not the same as other days. It was a tragedy,” he added.
Al-Hilal left-back Moteb Al-Alharbi said the team had tried to be supportive to the Portuguese pair.
“From the moment we woke up today we were shocked by the news. They are team-mates of his and we all felt the sadness but we were all around them. I also believe they will be ready although they have this shocking news,” he said.
“They were not at their best emotionally but I believe they will be focused for the game,” added Saudi winger Khalid Alghannam.


Chelsea agree deal to sign English winger Gittens from Dortmund

Updated 03 July 2025
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Chelsea agree deal to sign English winger Gittens from Dortmund

  • The agreement was made at Fort Lauderdale, with contractual details still to be settled
  • “Jamie Gittens’s career is an example of the development of top talents at Borussia,” Dortmund managing director Lars Ricken said

LONDON: Chelsea have agreed a deal to sign English winger Jamie Gittens from Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga club said on Thursday, with the 20-year-old set to sign a seven-year contract in a move reportedly worth 55 million pounds ($75.02 million).
The clubs are currently in the United States for the Club World Cup, where they have both reached the quarter-final stage, and the agreement was made at Fort Lauderdale, with contractual details still to be settled.


Gittens joined Dortmund as a youth player in 2020 from Manchester City, making his senior debut in 2022, and has made 107 appearances for the German side in all competitions, scoring 17 goals.
“Jamie Gittens’s career is an example of the development of top talents at Borussia,” Dortmund managing director Lars Ricken said in a club statement.
“We discovered Jamie very early, practically signed him for free, continuously developed him in our youth performance center, and also offered him playing time at the very highest level with the first team.
“Jamie has repaid the trust placed in him with commitment, performance, and goals.”
Chelsea are looking to strengthen their left wing after they opted not to make Jadon Sancho’s loan deal from Manchester United permanent.


US fans can learn from unbelievable Guatemala supporters, Pochettino says

Updated 03 July 2025
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US fans can learn from unbelievable Guatemala supporters, Pochettino says

  • “The fans of Guatemala, I need to say, wow, unbelievable. It was like, to play there,” Pochettino told reporters
  • “An unbelievable energy. That is football, that is football”

MEXICO: United States coach Mauricio Pochettino said Wednesday’s 2-1 win over Guatemala in the CONCACAF Gold Cup semifinals felt like a game on the road, adding that the spirit of the opposing fans was something American supporters could learn from.

Over 22,000 spectators attended the match in St. Louis and the majority were Guatemala supporters, loudly backing their team throughout the game even as Diego Luna’s early brace helped the US reach the final, where they face Mexico on Sunday.

“The fans of Guatemala, I need to say, wow, unbelievable. It was like, to play there. And that was good for our players because it was an atmosphere we didn’t expect,” former Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea manager Pochettino told reporters.

Argentine Pochettino said he hoped to see the same passion from American fans when the World Cup takes place in the US next year.

“An unbelievable energy. That is football, that is football. When we say, the connection between the team and the fans, that’s the connection we’d like to see at the World Cup. The connection that makes you fly,” he said.

“When we talk about culture, that is culture ... to see (Guatemala), how they fight, how the fans behave, that is an important thing that we need to learn in this country.”

Pochettino said that in many countries, soccer matches were seen as much more than sporting spectacles.

“In a different country, you play (to) survive. You play for food. You play for pride ... it’s not to enjoy, go home and laugh, that’s it,” he said.

“The moment that we, this roster, start to live in this way, I think we have big room to improve.”


Klopp ‘heartbroken’ by Diogo Jota’s death

Updated 03 July 2025
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Klopp ‘heartbroken’ by Diogo Jota’s death

  • “This is a moment where I struggle!” Klopp posted on Instagram
  • “I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother Andre”

MUNICH: Former Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp said he was “heartbroken” to learn Diogo Jota, who he signed in 2020, had died with his younger brother Andre in a car crash on Thursday.

Diogo Jota, 28, died alongside Andre after their vehicle veered off a motorway in northern Spain before bursting into flames.

Klopp, who is Red Bull’s “head of global soccer,” persuaded the Liverpool board to pay £45 million ($62 million) for Diogo Jota after he impressed at Wolves.

“This is a moment where I struggle!” Klopp posted on Instagram.


“There must be a bigger purpose! But I can’t see it! I’m heartbroken to hear about the passing of Diogo and his brother Andre.

“Diogo was a not only a fantastic player, but also a great friend, a loving and caring husband and father!

“We will miss you so much! All my prayers, thoughts and power to Rute, the kids, the family, the friends and everyone who loved them! Rest in peace — Love.”

Diogo Jota was labelled an “exceptional player, exceptional boy,” by Klopp early on in the player’s spell at Liverpool.

Jota took little time to deliver some return on Liverpool’s investment, becoming the first player in the club’s history to score in his first four home games.

He was a key part of Klopp’s side that won the League Cup and FA Cup in 2021/22, narrowly missing out on the Premier League and Champions League for what would have been an unprecedented quadruple.