MANCHESTER: Erling Haaland might not hog all of Manchester City’s goals this season, after all.
Ilkay Gundogan, Kevin De Bruyne and Phil Foden were City’s scorers — along with an own-goal — in a 4-0 win over Bournemouth in the Premier League on Saturday, with Haaland barely getting a sight on goal at Etihad Stadium.
The Norway striker scored both of City’s goals in their opening-weekend 2-0 win at West Ham but was mostly crowded out a week later as Bournemouth sat deep with plenty of men behind the ball in a match that resembled an attack vs. defense training exercise.
City’s midfielders reaped the benefits of the extra focus on Haaland.
Gundogan’s goal did involve City’s new star striker, with Haaland holding off his marker with his back to goal and clipping a ball through to the Germany midfielder. Gundogan’s left-footed finish found the bottom corner in the 19th for his 50th goal for City.
De Bruyne scored the pick of the goals, the playmaker cutting inside on a counterattack led by Foden in the 31st, beating a defender and bending his shot with the outside of his right foot into the far corner.
De Bruyne returned the favor for Foden six minutes later, slipping a brilliant pass through the legs of a defender and into the path of his teammate, who took a touch and fired in a deflected shot that beat goalkeeper Mark Travers.
Haaland’s best chance fell in the 73rd when he mishit a first-time shot wide from Jack Grealish’s cut-back. The striker was substituted moments later.
The scoring was completed by Jefferson Lerma, who unwittingly turned a cross from Joao Cancelo into his own net from inside Bournemouth’s six-yard box.
It was a wake-up call for Bournemouth after the promoted team started the season with a surprisingly comfortable 2-0 win over Aston Villa last weekend.
City manager Pep Guardiola again chose to start with Bernardo Silva on the bench. The Portugal midfielder has been linked with a move to Barcelona and didn’t start against West Ham, either.
Manchester City earn second win by thrashing Bournemouth 4-0 in Premier League
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Manchester City earn second win by thrashing Bournemouth 4-0 in Premier League
- Haaland was mostly crowded out by Bournemouth who sat deep with plenty of men behind the ball in a match that resembled an attack vs. defense training exercise
San Francisco 49ers launch Nextgen Flag Football program in UAE
DUBAI: The San Francisco 49ers launched on Monday their NextGen Flag Football program to introduce the game into school curricula in the UAE.
The US team are collaborating with GEMS Education, the largest network of schools in the country, serving 125,000 students. The program was rolled out to select GEMS schools earlier this year, with plans for more to join in January 2026.
The program will equip participating schools with gear, curriculum resources, and coaching support, to help teachers integrate flag football into their physical education lessons, the team stated in a press release.
The team added: “At the end of each season, the program will culminate in a flag football tournament, bringing together participating schools to compete and demonstrate the skills developed in their classes.”
The launch follows several 49ers flag football clinics at GEMS schools earlier this year, including the first event of its kind hosted by an NFL team in the UAE at GEMS World Academy Senior School.
During these events, 49ers representatives trained more than 24 physical education teachers in the fundamentals of coaching flag football, before leading hands-on sessions with students.
Participants took part in NFL-style practice drills, played introductory flag tag games. There was a special appearance from the 49ers’ mascot, Sourdough Sam, who attended to cheer on the students.
Justin Prettyman, executive director of the 49ers Foundation, stated: “We’re thrilled to launch NextGen Flag Football and to work with GEMS going forward.
“By introducing students to the fundamentals of flag football, we’re not just teaching a game; we’re helping them develop teamwork, confidence, and leadership skills that will last a lifetime.”
Jay Varkey, deputy CEO, GEMS Education, stated that they are committed to providing students “with a truly holistic education that nurtures not only academic excellence but also character, teamwork, and resilience.
“Our collaboration with the San Francisco 49ers reflects this vision, bringing world-class sporting expertise into our schools through the NextGen Flag Football program.
The launch of NextGen Flag Football in the UAE reflects the 49ers expanding international footprint under the NFL’s Global Markets Program.
In March, the team was awarded activation rights in the UAE, building on its program in the UK and Mexico, where local fanbases have grown by more than 50 percent, the team stated.
Since 2021, the 49ers have hosted over 50 community events across those regions.
