Sports
Haaland Bags Brace As Man City Begin Title Defence In Style
man-city-burnley Manchester City’s Spanish manager Pep Guardiola (R) speaks to his players during the English Premier League football match between Burnley and Manchester City at Turf Moor in Burnley, north-west England on August 11, 2023. (Photo by Darren Staples / AFP) /
Erling Haaland started the Premier League season with a bang as the Norwegian struck twice in defending champions Manchester City’s 3-0 win at promoted Burnley.
Rodri completed the scoring after Haaland’s first-half double to give City a perfect start to their quest to become the first side to win four consecutive English top-flight titles.
Haaland fired City to a treble of Premier League, Champions League and FA Cup glory last season by scoring 52 times in his first year at the club.
The 23-year-old took just over three minutes of the new campaign to open his tally once more when he swept home Rodri’s header across goal.
Haaland then crashed in a shot off the underside of the bar nine minutes before half-time as his finishing papered over the cracks of a far from perfect first 45 minutes from the visitors.
But the ease with which Pep Guardiola’s men cruised to victory after the break was an ominous sign for the chasing pack aiming to dethrone City.
Rodri completed the scoring when the Spaniard smashed home a loose ball from a free-kick 15 minutes from time.
City’s night, though, was soured by an injury to captain Kevin De Bruyne.
The Belgian had only recently returned from a hamstring tear he suffered in the Champions League final and limped off midway through the first-half.
Burnley boss Vincent Kompany has a statue outside City’s Etihad Stadium in honour of his decorated playing career with the English champions.
Kompany returned the Clarets back to the Premier League at the first time of asking and transformed Burnley’s playing style in the process during his first season in charge.
Despite the scoreline, the home side were far from outclassed but paid for a slow start and the lack of a clinical finisher like Haaland.
Burnley’s 2022/23 season finished over a month before City’s European Cup final win in Istanbul.
Guardiola has bemoaned his side’s short pre-season compared to their rivals, but they were quick out of the blocks.
A well-worked corner between De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Phil Foden eventually picked out Rodri and his header was fired home by Haaland.
Moments later Burnley were denied a penalty when Manuel Akanji’s hold of Zeki Amdouni’s arm was not deemed enough for a spot-kick.
Luca Koleosho then fired over and Amdouni shot too close to Ederson as Burnley posed a bigger threat for large spells of the first-half.
However, they were hit with a sucker punch when Julian Alvarez laid off Kyle Walker’s cross into the path of Haaland to produce an unstoppable effort high past Burnley debutant goalkeeper James Trafford.
With the wind taken from Burnley’s sails, City took a stranglehold of the game after the break without ever having to hit top gear.
Rodri was the unlikely hero with the only goal in Istanbul two months ago and he started the new season as he finished the last by smashing home from close range after a goalmouth scramble.
Burnley’s miserable night was rounded off in stoppage time when Anass Zaroury was shown a straight red card for a wild challenge on Kyle Walker.
AFP
Portugal head coach Jorge Jesus has made it clear he will not apologise to Cristiano Ronaldo amid their ongoing rift.
Speaking after Portugal’s Nations League victory over Norway, Jesus was asked whether he owed the five-time Ballon d’Or winner an apology following the events that led to Ronaldo’s abrupt departure from the national team camp.
Jesus remained adamant that he did not owe anyone an apology, despite calls from the likes of Rio Ferdinand and others in the Ronaldo camp, to do so.
“I take responsibility for the decision and for what happened,” Jesus said.
“But apologise for what? To whom? That is a lie. Apologise for what? What was there to apologise for?”
The 72-year-old was even more direct in another exchange, declaring: “I don’t apologise to anyone.”
The dispute erupted after Ronaldo was left as an unused substitute against Norway despite being sent out to warm up for a significant period.
The Al-Nassr striker later left the camp and has not featured since.
Jesus insisted his decisions as coach are non-negotiable and that the priority was the team’s results.
He did, however, leave the door open for Ronaldo’s return, stating the veteran would be called up for the next international window if he is playing regularly for Al-Nassr and wishes to come back.
“It’s his decision,” Jesus added.
“You can’t break up a year-long friendship over a situation that is difficult to understand.”
The firm stance from the Portugal coach suggests any reconciliation will depend more on Ronaldo’s willingness to move past the episode than any public apology.
Portugal return to Nations League action in November with games against Denmark and Wales.
Former Aston Villa striker Gabby Agbonlahor has said Wayne Rooney was better than Harry Kane.
Discussing the comparison between the two, Agbonlahor said: “I really like Wayne Rooney. It’s a different era, isn’t it? But for me, Rooney still edges Kane.”
Agbonlahor continued: “Everyone has different opinions, the new generation will pick Kane, but I would pick Rooney. It’s easy for people to forget how good he was. I love everything about Rooney, he was fearless. We used to play against him, and he would absolutely go for you.
“I remember once, the referee dropped the ball for a 50-50 challenge. It was against Dawson of Hull City, and Rooney went into him so hard.
“Rooney could do everything, he was faster than you’d think. He could run from deep, and he could play as a number 10. Look at some of the goals he scored, like the one from near the halfway line when he returned to Everton.”
MK Dons Women captain Favour Omenazu has received a late invitation to join the Super Falcons squad for Nigeria’s 2028 Olympic Games qualifying double-header against Comoros.
Interim head coach Augustine Eguavoen called up the versatile midfielder following the withdrawal of some of the players initially invited for the second-round qualifying fixture.
The call-up marks the first time the 24-year-old has been selected to represent the Super Falcons.
Omenazu was eligible to play for both England and Nigeria but has opted to represent the 10-time African champions at international level.
MK Dons have congratulated their women’s captain on earning her maiden international call-up.
“We are all incredibly proud of #MKDonsWomen’s captain, Favour Omenazu, who has received her first international call-up to represent Nigeria’s Super Falcons,” the club said in a post on X.
“Favour has been selected for Nigeria’s upcoming 2028 Olympic qualifying double-header against Comoros on Friday 9th and Tuesday 13th October.
“Go and smash it, Favour we know you will “
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