Sports
Ten Hag pleased with Manchester United’s response in FA Cup semi-final win
Manchester United bounced back from a difficult week with a 7-6 shootout win over Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday that booked an FA Cup final spot to the relief of manager Erik ten Hag.
Three days after a humiliating Europa League exit against Sevilla, United’s victory at Wembley on penalties after a 0-0 stalemate was music to the ears of their Dutch manager.
“On Thursday I saw a team I didn’t recognise but today we went back to usual.
“I could see determination and resilience. We fought for every yard and competed in every battle. We had good chances,” he said.
The normally measured Ten Hag was livid with his team’s lack of effort on Thursday and admitted yelling at the players after their 3-0 rout for a 5-2 aggregate defeat in the quarter-finals.
“I can’t accept that my team is not giving its best,” said the Dutchman.
But there was nothing but positive words on Sunday after Victor Lindelof, United’s seventh player to step up to the spot, slotted home the winning penalty after Brighton’s Solly March missed by launching the ball over the bar.
It was the first-ever FA Cup semi-final shootout to go to sudden death.
“He is quite cool when it comes to penalties and he’s quite cool in general,” Ten Hag said of Lindelof.
United’s manager was also pleased with his goalkeeper David de Gea, who was kept busy by several Brighton efforts.
“He made some brilliant saves. It hurt when he made mistakes on Thursday.
“Often when you make mistakes as a keeper you get punished. We let him down, we didn’t fight back for him. We bounced back today though,” Ten Hag said.
Sunday’s win set up the first all-Manchester FA Cup final, after City cruised past Sheffield United 3-0 on Saturday, and Ten Hag’s second showpiece match in his first season at the helm.
This was after he guided Manchester United to a League Cup triumph in February.
“Whether Manchester United win the cup or not it’s going to be a fantastic season for them. They’ve achieved all their goals this season. Erik Ten Hag deserves credit,” said BBC pundit Alan Shearer.
Brighton had hoped to continue their dream run to what would have been their second FA Cup final.
But for the wayward penalty from March, who hung his head crestfallen, hands on hips, after the miss while Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi consoled him.
“In penalties anything can happen. You can make mistakes. March is one of the best players in our team and I’m proud of him and the rest of the players, especially today.
“(March) is sad but, I repeat, we have to close this day and tomorrow we have to think about another game. We need the possibility to forget. We want to achieve in Europe,” De Zerbi said.
Brighton are eighth in the Premier League and battling to secure a European qualifying spot for next season. (Reuters/NAN)
Mikel Merino led Arsenal to a 1-0 win against Chelsea in the Premier League on Sunday.
Merino’s first-half header settled the London derby at the Emirates Stadium and saw second-placed Arsenal move within 12 points of leader Liverpool.
Arsenal’s title hopes have faded in recent weeks, but it closed the gap on Liverpool, which was playing Newcastle in the English League Cup final later in the day.
Merino rose in the 20th minute to flick Martin Odegaard’s near post corner beyond Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez. It was enough to secure a first league win for Mikel Arteta’s team since February 15.
Defeat for fourth-placed Chelsea means it missed the chance to extend its one-point lead over Manchester City in fifth and boost its chance of qualifying for the Champions League next season.
Arsenal, on 58 points, is 10 clear of four time defending champion City.
Nigerian forward Victor Osimhen netted a hat-trick as Galatasaray secured a decisive 4-0 win against Antalyaspor on Friday night.
Álvaro Morata added a goal from the penalty spot to complete the dominant victory.
Osimhen opened the scoring at Rams Park, converting an assist from Morata in the 30th minute.
Morata doubled the lead with a penalty in the 45th minute and three minutes into the injury time of the first half, Osimhen struck again, assisted by B. Yılmaz.
The Nigerian striker completed his hat-trick, with Y. Akgün providing the assist in the 52nd minute.
This hat trick elevates Osimhen’s season tally to 20 league goals in 22 appearances, making him the top scorer in the Turkish Süper Lig.
Since joining Galatasaray on loan from Napoli after the fourth game of the season, Osimhen has amassed 26 goals and 5 assists across all competitions in 30 appearances.
Galatasaray’s dominant display reinforces their position at the summit of the Süper Lig.
Prior to this match, they led the standings with 68 points from 26 matches, maintaining an unbeaten record with 21 wins and 5 draws.
Their closest rivals, Fenerbahçe, have accumulated 61 points from 25 matches.
With this victory, Galatasaray extends their lead to 71 points, bolstering their pursuit of the league title.
Arsenal boss Mikel Arteta has provided the latest update on Bukayo Saka ahead of his side’s Premier League clash with Chelsea this weekend.
Saka has been sidelined for over two months due to a hamstring injury.
The England winger has missed several matches for Arteta’s side, including their draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford.
Speaking in his pre-match interview ahead of Sunday’s clash, Arteta said Saka is getting closer to returning to action for the Gunners.
“He [Saka] is getting closer,” Arteta said.
“He’s stepping up and making very good progress. Let’s see when we decide to throw him in, how he reacts, and how quickly he can regain full fitness.”
Arsenal currently sit second in the Premier League table, behind leaders Liverpool.
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