MANCHESTER, UK: Rodri’s late equalizer extended Manchester City’s year-long unbeaten record at home but a 1-1 draw against Chelsea on Saturday handed Liverpool and Arsenal a huge boost in the Premier League title race.
Raheem Sterling gave Chelsea a first-half lead on his return to the Etihad and City were headed to a first defeat on home soil for 34 games until Rodri’s deflected effort seven minutes from time.
City move four points behind leaders Liverpool and two adrift of Arsenal, but have a game in hand on both their title rivals.
A 3-1 Champions League win in Copenhagen in midweek was City’s 11th consecutive victory in all competitions as they appeared well set to defend the treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup they won last season.
But Chelsea exposed chinks in the champions’ armor.
Mauricio Pochettino’s men have often saved their best performances for the biggest challenges during a difficult season for the Blues.
Chelsea took points off all three title contenders at home earlier in the season and finally produced a counter-attacking display on the road that offers Pochettino hope ahead of next weekend’s League Cup final against Liverpool.
Chelsea should have led much earlier in the first half as Nicolas Jackson failed to beat Ederson when clean through after a slick counter-attack cut City wide open.
Pep Guardiola’s men did not learn their lesson as another ex-City man Cole Palmer sent Jackson in behind and he picked out Sterling, who coolly cut inside Kyle Walker and fired into the far corner on 42 minutes.
Sterling’s celebrations were muted, but the goal would have been greeted with glee in Merseyside and north London.
Erling Haaland had headed over City’s only clear chance of the opening 45 minutes, but they flew out of the blocks after the break.
Kevin De Bruyne’s dipping free-kick landed on the roof of the net before Sterling was exceptionally lucky to avoid conceding a penalty for bringing down Walker inside the area.
However, as City chased an equalizer they became even easier to pick off on the counter.
Ederson produced a stunning save to deny Sterling his second and Ruben Dias needed to head Ben Chilwell’s follow-up effort off the line.
Haaland’s pace and power finally took him clear of the Chelsea defense 25 minutes from time, but Djordje Petrovic was equal to his deflected effort at the near post.
The Norwegian’s night to forget was then rounded off when he left the 53,000 capacity crowd aghast as he headed well off target with the goal gaping from a perfectly-weighted De Bruyne cross.
City did at least salvage a point as Rodri maintained his own personal year-long unbeaten record.
The last time the Spaniard was on the losing side in a City shirt was February 5, 2022.
The man who scored the winner in last season’s Champions League final needed the aid of a deflection as his driven effort flew into the top corner off Trevoh Chalobah.
Chelsea were penned inside their own box from then on and had to survive a VAR check for a penalty deep into stoppage time as the ball brushed off Levi Colwill’s arm.
An unexpected point lifts Chelsea back into the top half of the table and within six points of the top six.
Rodri salvages point but Man City stumble in Premier League title race
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Rodri salvages point but Man City stumble in Premier League title race
- Raheem Sterling gave Chelsea a first-half lead on his return to the Etihad
- City move four points behind leaders Liverpool and two adrift of Arsenal
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah among nominees for PFA Player of the Year award
- The 33-year-old played a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph last season
- The Egypt star was voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association
LONDON: Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah was among six players nominated for the Professional Footballers’ Association Men’s Player of the Year award on Friday.
The 33-year-old played a key role in Liverpool’s Premier League title triumph last season with 29 goals and 18 assists.
The Egypt star was voted Footballer of the Year by the Football Writers’ Association – securing almost 90 percent of the votes, marking the biggest winning margin this century – and is the firm favorite to land the PFA prize.
Salah is joined on the shortlist by Liverpool team-mate Alexis Mac Allister, Arsenal’s Declan Rice, Cole Palmer of Chelsea, Newcastle striker Alexander Isak and Manchester United midfielder Bruno Fernandes.
Palmer, who won the PFA Young Player of the Year award for 2023-24, was a surprise choice for the list given his struggles for Chelsea last season.
Rice starred in midfield for Arsenal, hitting a career-high nine goals while adding 10 assists in 52 appearances in all competitions.
Sweden striker Isak scored 23 goals for Newcastle as they qualified for the Champions League and ended a 56-year trophy drought by winning the League Cup.
Fernandes was one of United’s few bright spots in the club’s worst top-flight campaign since 1973-74, with eight league goals and 10 assists.
This year’s awards ceremony will be held in Manchester on August 19.
Richards’ 2nd-half goal lifts US over Saudi Arabia 1-0 and into CONCACAF Gold Cup quarterfinals
- The US has won its group in 16 of 17 Gold Cups
- The Gold Cup represents the last competitive test for the US ahead of the 2026 World Cup
AUSTIN, Texas: Defender Chris Richards scored with a flick of the ball off a second-half free kick to lift the United States to a 1-0 win over Saudi Arabia on Thursday night, sending the Americans on to the CONCACAF Gold Cuo quarterfinals.
Richards tracked the ball as it flew into the box on a curving free kick from Sebastian Berhalter in the 62nd minute to tap the ball with his left foot past Saudi Arabia goalkeeper Nawaf Al Aquidi.
The win and the 1-1 draw between Trinidad and Tobago and Haiti in Group D’s other match Thursday in Houston, clinched a knockout berth for the Americans, who improved to 42 wins, one loss and five draws in group play. The US has won its group in 16 of 17 Gold Cups, and closes Group D play on Sunday against Haiti at Arlington, Texas.
US coach Mauricio Pochettino stuck with the same lineup that produced a 5-0 win over Trinidad and Tobago on Sunday, the first time he made no changes in consecutive matches since taking over the program last October. But playing against No. 58 Saudi Arabia, the 16th-ranked Americans showed little of the attack firepower they displayed against the No. 100 Soca Warriors.
The match saw few real chances on goal by either team. The Americans had just one shot in the first half. Richards’ speed to track back to cover for Alex Freeman’s mistake and block a shot kept Saudi Arabia from a 1-0 lead.
Matt Freese got his second consecutive start in goal for the US and third in four matches as he appears to have displaced Matt Turner.
The Gold Cup represents the last competitive test for the Americans ahead of the 2026 World Cup. As co-host with Mexico and Canada, the US is an automatic qualifier for the World Cup.
The Americans limped into the Gold Cup on a four-match losing streak that included a 4-0 rout by Switzerland in their final tune-up. And with many of the top players either sitting out this tournament for personal reasons, injuries or playing in the Club World Cup, Pochettino selected a roster full of relatively untested and unproven players.
Missing the tournament for the US are regulars Christian Pulisic, Yunus Musah, Weston McKennie, Tim Weah, Gio Reyna, Antonee Robinson, Folarin Balogun and Sergiño Dest,
Palmeiras ease past Al Ahly in Club World Cup
- The match was suspended in the 63rd minute because of a weather warning
- Victory took Palmeiras provisionally top on four points
EAST RUTHERFORD, USA: Palmeiras drew first blood in Club World Cup Group A with a 2-0 victory over Al Ahly on Thursday in New Jersey.
Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami face Porto later on in the group’s other clash after two goalless draws in the first round of fixtures.
The match was suspended in the 63rd minute because of a weather warning, with players and fans at the MetLife Stadium instructed to “take shelter” because of a nearby storm.
Palmeiras were leading by two goals at the time, with a Wessam Abou Ali own goal sending the Brazilians ahead in the 49th minute before Flaco Lopez doubled their lead on the Egyptians 10 minutes later.
Victory took Palmeiras provisionally top on four points, with the other three sides level on one point each.
It was the third match at the tournament affected by adverse weather at the tournament.
On Tuesday Mamelodi Sundowns game against Ulsan HD was suspended just before kick-off for just over an hour due to a weather alert.
Then on Wednesday RB Salzburg’ s match against Pachuca was suspended in the second half for 97 minutes because of a storm.
Palmeiras, led by talented youngster Estevao Willian, who is set to join Chelsea, played well but were held by Porto in their opening clash.
Al Ahly kept them at bay in a tight first half, in which English referee Anthony Taylor sent off Palmeiras midfielder Raphael Veiga for a foul on Ahmed Zizo, before overturning his decision following a VAR review.
Palestinian striker Abou Ali headed Anibal Moreno’s free-kick into his own net to hand Palmeiras the lead.
Lopez finished coolly for the Brazilians’ second after Mauricio played him through on goal.
After the suspension of around 45 minutes for the weather warning, Palmeiras played out the remainder of the match comfortably without risking their advantage.
South American sides have come into the tournament strongly, in good condition given they are in the middle of their domestic seasons, and have stayed unbeaten to this point.
Manchester City fined more than a million pounds for delayed kickoffs
- The club accepted and apologized for the rule breaches
- City are awaiting the verdict of 115 unrelated charges of alleged breaches of the FFP rules
MANCHESTER: Manchester City have been fined more than one million pounds by the Premier League for breaching the rules around delayed kickoffs and restarts nine times last season, England’s top-flight league said on Thursday.
The fine comes a year after City paid 2 million pounds ($2.56 million) to the league for breaching the same game-delay rules.
The club accepted and apologized for the rule breaches, and confirmed they have reminded their players and staff of their responsibilities in complying with the rules.
“Rules relating to kick-offs and re-starts help ensure the organization of the competition is set at the highest possible professional standard and provides certainty to fans and participating clubs,” the league said in a statement.
“It also ensures the broadcast of every Premier League match is kept to schedule.”
Fines totalling 1.08 million pounds were imposed relating to City’s home games against Southampton, Tottenham Hotspur, Nottingham Forest, Manchester United, West Ham United and Newcastle United and their away fixtures against Crystal Palace, Aston Villa and Ipswich Town.
The longest game delays were two minutes 22 seconds each for restarts v West Ham and Ipswich.
City are awaiting the verdict of 115 unrelated charges of alleged breaches of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) rules.
The charges cover a period starting from 2009 and continuing into the 2022-23 season. City have always denied any wrongdoing.
Football fans storm field in Libya and a Portuguese referee is injured during a suspended match
- The match was suspended in the 39th minute
- Al-Ittihad’s bus was set on fire, the club said in a statement
TRIPOLI: A highly-anticipated derby in Libya’s top football league was suspended after fans stormed the pitch and officials said Thursday the Portuguese referee and some fans were injured.
The match Wednesday between Al-Ahly Tripoli and Al-Ittihad was suspended in the 39th minute when Al-Ahli substitutes and fans stormed the pitch in protest of Al-Ittihad players’ celebration of their opening goal.
Al-Ittihad’s bus was set on fire, the club said in a statement.
Players and soccer officials fled the stadium amid a fan disturbance outside the facility. Footage circuited online showed clashes between fans and security forces in and around the stadium.
Al-Ahly blamed what they called a “provocative act” by one of Al-Ittihad players for the disturbance.
They said in a statement that security forces used “excessive force and live fire” against fans at the club’s headquarters.
Local media reported that Portuguese referee Fábio Jose Costa was injured.
