LUTON, England: Jacob Brown scored an 83rd-minute winner as Luton beat Crystal Palace 2-1 in the Premier League on Saturday.
It was only Luton’s second win in 13 games in English soccer’s top division this season after securing promotion last term. The result saw them move four points clear of the relegation zone.
Teden Mengi fired Luton ahead in the 72nd minute at Kenilworth Road, but Michael Olize quickly evened the score in the 74th.
Brown’s goal ended a six-game winless streak for Rob Edwards’ team since their only other top flight victory against Everton in September.
Jefferson Lerma came close to rescuing a point for Palace with a header that hit the post 13 minutes into stoppage time.
The win reflects Luton’s improving form, having picked up five points in their last five games, including a 1-1 draw with Liverpool earlier this month.
Defeat for 13th-place Palace means the London club have only won one of their last six games.
Luton move four points clear of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace
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Luton move four points clear of the relegation zone with a 2-1 win over Crystal Palace
- It was only Luton’s second win in 13 games in English soccer’s top division this season
- Teden Mengi fired Luton ahead in the 72nd minute at Kenilworth Road
Kane double fires Bayern into Champions League last 16
- The six-time European champions sit second in the standings behind Arsenal ahead of their last league-phase outing at PSV Eindhoven next week
MUNICH, Germany: Harry Kane scored twice in three second-half minutes as Bayern Munich saw off Union Saint-Gilloise 2-0 on Wednesday to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.
Bayern joined Arsenal in sealing a top-eight finish in the 36-team table with a game to spare, avoiding a potential two-legged knockout play-off round.
The six-time European champions sit second in the standings behind Arsenal ahead of their last league-phase outing at PSV Eindhoven next week.
Kane headed in from a corner before winning and converting a penalty to put the hosts firmly in control.
The England captain had a chance for a hat-trick but missed a late spot-kick, after Bayern center-back Kim Min-jae had been dismissed for a second yellow card.
“Coming back into the second half we wanted to show more intensity and I think we did that,” Kane told DAZN.
“We scored at the right times, were a bit unlucky with the red card but even after that when we went down to 10 men we controlled the game well and earned the three points.”
Bayern’s Champions League defeat at Arsenal remains their only loss in all competitions this season, in which they have also already opened up an 11-point lead in the Bundesliga.
Kane’s second goal was his 34th of the campaign, bringing Bayern’s total tally to 103 strikes from 29 games.
Bayern were sluggish in the opening half, perhaps unsettled by the absence of their 9,300-strong ultra contingent, with the lower stand closed due to a UEFA sanction for setting off pyrotechnics.
“We’re used to that from the Covid period, of course, but fundamentally we always want the fans there in a sold-out stadium — unfortunately it wasn’t possible today,” Bayern captain Manuel Neuer told DAZN.
The best chance of the opening half fell to Belgian champions Union SG.
With half an hour played, an unmarked Promise David got away from the Bayern defense and had just Neuer to beat, but headed his effort directly at the goalkeeper.
Bayern needed a set-piece to break the deadlock with 52 minutes gone.
Michael Olize lofted the ball into the six-yard area and Kane found space at the near post to head his side in front.
One minute later, Kane was felled by Union ‘keeper Kjell Scherpen and stepped up to double Bayern’s lead.
Kim, handed a rare start with Dayot Upamecano out sick, was sent off in the 63rd minute, picking up a second yellow for yanking Raul Florucz’s arm as the winger went on the attack.
But the red card did not disrupt Bayern’s flow.
Kane uncharacteristically blasted a penalty against the bar with 10 minutes left, while Olize chipped another opportunity over with just Scherpen to beat.
