Manchester City are one game away from a historic treble after Ilkay Gundogan scored twice to beat Manchester United 2-1 in the FA Cup final on Saturday.
Pep Guardiola’s men completed a domestic double at Wembley and can become just the second side, after United in 1998/99, to win the Premier League, FA Cup and Champions League in the same season should they beat Inter Milan to become European champions for the first time on June 10.
Gundogan scored the fastest goal in FA Cup final history after just 12 seconds.
United levelled on 33 minutes through Bruno Fernandes’ penalty after Jack Grealish was harshly penalised for handball.
But the City captain, in what could be his final game for the club on English soil with his contract expiring at the end of the season, volleyed home the winner six minutes into the second-half.
“Everyone knows the FA Cup is the most beautiful domestic club competition in the world, so to win this trophy again and complete the double is amazing for us,” said Gundogan.
“We have a chance to do something special and win the treble and we do not want to let this opportunity pass us by.”
The first ever major final between the Manchester giants had the most explosive of starts.
Kelechi Iheanacho and Wilfred Ndidi earned English FA Cup glory on Saturday as Leicester City beat Chelsea 1-0 in the competition’s final match at London’s Wembley Stadium.
Youri Tielemans scored a wonder goal and the video assistant referee (then came to the rescue for Leicester City to win the FA Cup for the first time.
It was the first in the club’s 137-year history.
Tielemans fired into the top left corner from some 25 metres out in the 63rd minute in front of a crowd of some 21,000 fans.
They were allowed into the famed arena as coronavirus restrictions are being eased in England.
But victory was not theirs until an 89th-minute equaliser from Chelsea was nullified by VAR because Ben Chilwell was deemed offside by the smallest of margins in the build-up.
It was Leicester City’s first FA Cup trophy after four lost finals in the past, the last one 52 years ago in 1969.
Also, it was their second major title after a sensational Premier League success in 2016.
Aston Villa have confirmed that Friday’s FA Cup third-round clash with Liverpool will go ahead even though many of their players and staff have tested positive for coronavirus.
Villa were forced to close their training ground on Thursday and there were concerns they would have to forfeit their match against Jurgen Klopp’s team.
“Aston Villa can confirm that the Emirates FA Cup third-round tie with Liverpool will be played at Villa Park this evening,” read a brief statement on the club’s website.
It is understood that no first-team players will take part in the match, with reports saying 10 players in the first-team bubble had tested positive.
Instead, under-23s coach Mark Delaney is expected to oversee a side made up of under-18 and under-23 players.
The outbreak at Villa also raises questions about how and whether their upcoming Premier League matches can go ahead.
They are due to face Tottenham on Wednesday and are then up against Everton on January 16.
There are growing concerns over whether the Premier League season can be completed on schedule as infection numbers spike in Britain.
A record high 40 positive tests were detected among Premier League players and staff in the week between December 28 and January 3.
Newcastle’s match against Aston Villa last month was the first top-flight fixture this season postponed by a coronavirus outbreak at a club.
Steve Bruce’s side lost captain Jamaal Lascelles and winger Allan Saint-Maximin for a long spell as they suffered the after-effects of the virus.
Lascelles is fit for Saturday’s FA Cup clash with holders Arsenal but Saint-Maximin is still waiting for the all-clear to return to training.
Magpies manager Steve Bruce questioned the morality of playing on as the pandemic worsens.
“The speed which it hit our club within a week, and ripped through, is something which all clubs will be looking at now,” he said.
“It’s difficult to contain and it leaves people sick. Financially it’s right to play on but morally, for me, it’s probably wrong.”
Southampton’s FA Cup match against Shrewsbury is off after a Covid-19 outbreak at the League One club.
Wayne Rooney’s Championship side Derby will fulfil their fixture at non-league Chorley with a youth team after nine positive tests among first-team players and staff.
The Women’s FA Cup has been suspended during the four-week national lockdown in England, despite the men’s competition being given approval to continue as planned.
The FA confirmed on Tuesday that the 10 non-elite teams competing in the first round of the men’s FA Cup will be able to compete from November 6-9.
The women’s first round – not classed as elite according to government guidelines – was originally scheduled for November 15, but the earliest return date possible for the competition will be December 2, when lockdown restrictions are due to be eased.
Clubs below the Women’s Super League and Women’s Championship will be unable to train or play matches for the duration of the lockdown, with all 24 women’s sides in the FA Cup first round from the fourth tier or below.
All adult and children’s grassroots football has been put on halt in England during the lockdown, which came into effect on Thursday. Elite sport will continue behind closed doors.
Manchester City beat Everton 3-1 in extra-time to win the 50th Women’s FA Cup final behind closed doors at Wembley on Sunday.
The competition was originally scheduled to finish in May but was delayed for over six months at the quarter-final stage because of the pandemic.
Women’s FA Cup first-round draw
FC United of Manchester Women vs Fleetwood Town Wrens LFC or Liverpool Feds LFC Chester-Le-Street Town Ladies FC vs Brighouse Town Women FC Newcastle United Women FC vs Barnsley Women’s FC Wolverhampton Wanderers WFC vs Stourbridge FC Ladies Lincoln City Women FC vs Solihull Moors Women FC Wem Town Ladies FC vs Boldmere St Michaels Women FC Harlow Town Ladies FC vs Ipswich Town LFC Kent Football Utd LFC or AFC Wimbledon Ladies vs Luton Town Ladies FC/ Enfield Town LFC Billericay Town LFC vs Maidenhead United LFC Eastbourne Town LFC or Leyton Orient WFC vs Actonians LFC AFC Bournemouth Women vs Southampton FC Women Exeter City Women FC vs Cheltenham Town LFC
All of this weekend’s FA Cup first-round ties have been cleared to go ahead by the Government despite the new lockdown restrictions, the Football Association has announced.
There had been concerns that the suspension of non-elite sport under the lockdown due to come into effect from Thursday would create a problem for the competition, with 10 clubs from below National League level still involved.
However, the FA says the ties will be played under elite protocols.
“We can confirm that all Emirates FA Cup first-round ties will go ahead this weekend as planned,” a statement from the governing body read.
“The UK Government has confirmed that the 10 non-elite clubs that remain in the competition will be able to play their matches under elite protocols.
“Matches will take place between November 6 and 9 2020. All ties will be played behind closed doors, in line with COVID-19 guidelines.”
The ties include Skelmersdale United, the lowest-ranked side left in the FA Cup, away at League Two Harrogate Town.
Eighth-tier Marine face Colchester United, Eastbourne Borough play Blackpool, Tonbridge Angels host Bradford City and FC United of Manchester host Doncaster Rovers.
They can continue due to the testing regimes in place for professional sportspeople, but amateur sports will be put on hold.
The EFL, women’s football down to reserve level, and the National League, are all classified as elite sport and are permitted to continue behind closed doors.
The year 2018 will remain golden in the history of Rangers International football of Enugu as it was able to come back from 0-3 goals margin against Kano Pillars football club in the finals of the year’s AITECO Cup to win the cup on penalties.
It was a big drama that on October 24 2018, inside the Stephen Keshi stadium Asaba as after missing the trophy in four different outings since 1983, Enugu Rangers made one of the biggest come backs in Nigerian football yesterday, overcoming a 0-3 deficit to beat Kano Pillars in the final of the 2018 Aiteo Cup
It was the first competitive football match at the Asaba Stadium since Delta State was created in 1991 and it ended in a dramatic fashion.
The last time Rangers won the Aiteo Cup (formerly known as FA Cup and Federations Cup) was in 1983, although the Flying Antelopes won the 2015/2016 NPFL title after 32 years.
In the final, Kano Pillars opened scores in the fifth minute through Skipper Rabiu Ali and added another ten minutes later from the boots of Ibrahim Alhassan.
It was 3-0 a few minutes into the second half through Nyima Nwagwua, who shot past Olufemi Thomas from a quick counter –attack and the spectators, including some Rangers supporters, had already given up hope of any survival.
But like the Dammam miracle of Saudi ’89, where the Flying Eagles of Nigeria came back from 1-4 down to beat Russia, Enugu Rangers fought back by scoring two quick goals in the second before striking the equalizer three minutes into added time.
Coach Gbenga Ogunbote’s decision to substitute goalkeeper Femi Thomas with Ghanaian Nana Bonsu was the tonic Rangers needed to fight for their lives.
Kevin Itoya started the battle for survival with Rangers’ first goal in the 77th minute, while Chidera Ezeh added their second goal in the 82nd minute. In the second minute of the eight- minute stoppage time, Rangers completed the come back through Ajani Ibrahim’s diving header to take the game to a penalty shoot-out conclusion.
Skipper Rabiu Alli, who had been majestic in the game, ballooned Kano Pillars’ opening kick over the bar, while Bonsu saved the Kano team’s fourth kick by Jimoh Ismail.
It was then left for Beninoise international, Isaac Loute to settle the game for Rangers and he promptly obliged, sending the Flying Antelopes fans in the stadium to rapturous celebration.
The win ended Rangers 35-year wait for a trophy they last won in 1983. It was also the second time in three years that Rangers will break a long-standing hoodoo having won the league title for the first time since 1984 in 2016.
Kano Pillars thus failed to win their first ever AITEO Cup after losing 4-2 on penalties to Enugu Rangers bringing the Flying Antelope’s record to six FA Cup titles and first after 35 years dethroning last year’s winners Akwa United.
Rangers were presented with the dummy of a N25 million winners’ cheque by sponsors AITEO, while Pillars went home N10 million richer.
Pillars supporters who had filled the stadium more than Rangers Supporters despite the distance to the venue from their base, left Asaba with heavy hearts as their darling team, say Masua Gida failed to keep their promise to return the trophy to the ancient city of Kano.
Most of them who could not believe what transpired on the pitch, could not hide their position as they wept openly from the stadium to where their various vehicles were parked for a return journey to the pyramid city of Kano.
Premier League leaders Liverpool were given a huge scare by third-tier Shrewsbury Town as they squandered a two-goal lead to draw 2-2 away in a pulsating FA Cup fourth round tie on Sunday.
A much-changed Liverpool appeared to be cruising into the fifth round for the first time since Juergen Klopp took over in 2015, but Shrewsbury substitute Jason Cummins had the compact New Meadow stadium rocking with a memorable brace.
First, he coolly tucked away a 65th-minute penalty and then he outpaced Liverpool’s nervy back four to beat Adrian with a cool right-foot finish from the edge of the area.
Liverpool, who have been untouchable in the Premier League this season making a first title for 30 years almost inevitable, took the lead through teenager Curtis Jones after 15 minutes.
The seven-time Cup winners doubled their lead 28 seconds after halftime when Shrewsbury’s Donald Love scored an own goal.
But European and world club champion Liverpool lost concentration and were punished as Shrewsbury roared back to set up a thrilling climax and earn a replay at Anfield. (Reuters/NAN)
Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson scored early in the second half to secure a 1-0 win over battling Championship leaders Leeds United in the FA Cup third round at The Emirates on Monday.
Nelson put a near full-strength home side ahead in the 55th minute, scrappily side-footing the ball into the net after the Leeds defence was caught out by an Alexandre Lacazette cross.
Arsenal, who have won the world’s oldest cup competition a record 13 times but lost to Leeds in the 1972 final visit fellow Premier League side Bournemouth in the fourth round.
Leeds had taken the game to Arsenal straight from the first blast of the referee’s whistle.
They pushed forward and blasted 11 shots on goal to the hosts’ one in the first 25 minutes alone.
They dominated possession and striker Patrick Bamford was unlucky not to score after 15 minutes when he collected the ball from Jack Harrison but curled his close-range shot onto the bar.
Arsenal by contrast looked a shadow of the side who beat Manchester United 2-0 in the English Premier League on New Year’s Day.
But Mikel Arteta’s side looked a different team in the second half, with Lacazette whipping an early free-kick off the bar and David Luiz going close before Nelson struck.
“Leeds are a great team and they pressed us. We didn’t expect it. We got the goal in the end and that is the most important thing.
“This will give us confidence to go forward.,” said Nelson.
Lacazette said Arteta gave the players a firm talking to at halftime, although the manager made it sound less daunting.“
“Now I’m really pleased. But we saw two different teams from the first to second half. I tried to tell them exactly what they were going to face and after 32 minutes we’d won one duel.
“We changed our attitude, desire and organisation at half-time and then we were completely different. It was good for my players to learn and to suffer on the pitch,” he said.
Both sides fielded second-string goalkeepers, with Emiliano Martinez coming in for Arsenal and Illan Meslier for Leeds.
Also, the home side were missing striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang due to illness, but otherwise they fielded strong line-ups.(Reuters/NAN)
A stunning strike from 18-year-old Curtis Jones gave Liverpool a 1-0 win over Everton in their FA Cup third round tie at Anfield on Sunday.
Liverpool manager Juergen Klopp made nine changes to his side, giving starts to three teenagers, while his Italian counterpart Carlo Ancelotti opted for a largely full-strength Everton line-up.
Everton had the better chances, with Liverpool goalkeeper Adrian foiling goalbound efforts from Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Mason Holgate and Richarlison in the first half.
But the youthful Liverpool side played the more enterprising football.
Jones, a local-born academy product, delivered the killer-blow in the 71st minute with a superb curling effort into the top corner.
The defeat left Everton without a win against their rivals since October 2010.
