LONDON: Chelsea cemented their position on top of the Premier League as a superb double from Juan Mata clinched a 4-2 win over Andre Villas-Boas’s Tottenham yesterday.
However, Wayne Rooney ensured Manchester United remain hot on the leaders’ heels with a 4-2 victory against Stoke in a game where the England star scored at both ends.
Roberto Di Matteo’s Chelsea side were in danger of suffering their first league defeat of the season at the hands of former boss Villas-Boas, who was sacked after just nine months in charge last season, as Tottenham took a 2-1 lead in the second half at White Hart Lane.
But Spanish midfielder Mata struck twice in the space of three minutes to secure Chelsea’s seventh win from eight league matches.
“We lost our control at the start of the second half but for the rest of the match we took the initiative and deserved the win,” said Di Matteo.
“It was a test of our character to come here and play a team in form in a big derby. There have been a lot of issues around the team recently, but we responded perfectly.” Villas-Boas added: “Individual brilliance and the creativeness of Chelsea unlocked our defense and settled the game.” Gary Cahill, deputising for the suspended John Terry, fired Chelsea ahead in the 17th minute with a powerful volley.
William Gallas equalized against his former club two minutes into the second half and Spurs went in front seven minutes later thanks to Jermain Defoe’s predatory finish.
However, Chelsea staged a stunning fightback as Mata slotted home in the 66th minute.
Mata then produced a fine finish from Eden Hazard’s defense-splitting pass three minutes later and the Spaniard set up the fourth goal for Daniel Sturridge in stoppage-time.
At Old Trafford, Rooney went from zero to hero with a double strike after the United striker initially gave Stoke a shock lead in the 10th minute when he headed into his own net as he tried to clear from Ryan Shawcross.
Rooney was quickly back in United’s good books with a headed equalizer — his first club goal of the season — from Robin van Persie’s cross in the 27th minute.
Van Persie put United ahead on the stroke of half time as the former Arsenal forward turned in Antonio Valencia’s cross to claim his eighth goal in 10 matches for his new club.
Danny Welbeck got United’s third with a diving header from Rooney’s cross in the 46th minute.
Michael Kightly’s solo effort reduced the deficit 12 minutes later, but Rooney sealed the win with his second goal in the 65th minute.
Edin Dzeko gave 10-man Manchester City a dramatic 2-1 win at West Bromwich Albion as the Bosnian striker came off the bench to score twice in the last 10 minutes.
James Milner was sent off for chopping down Shane Long as the Albion striker burst clear in the 23rd minute, although City argued that referee Mark Clattenburg should only have booked the midfielder as he wasn’t the last man.
Albion looked set to make the champions pay when Long converted Peter Odemwingie’s pass in the 67th minute.
But Dzeko rescued the champions’ unbeaten record with an 80th-minute header moments after coming on and then netted the winner in stoppage-time as City stay third, four points behind Chelsea.
Raheem Sterling bagged his first Liverpool goal to clinch a 1-0 win over Reading that ended the Reds’ wait for a first home league success under boss Brendan Rodgers.
Liverpool, who won for the first time in seven attempts in all competitions at Anfield, got the only goal in the 29th minute when teenage winger Sterling finished off a Luis Suarez pass.
Mark Noble scored twice as West Ham cruised to a 4-1 victory over Southampton at Upton Park.
Noble and Kevin Nolan both scored to put West Ham in control immediately after half time.
Adam Lallana got one back in the 63rd minute, but Noble’s 72nd minute penalty and a late Modibo Maiga goal condemned Saints to their sixth defeat of the season.
Swansea beat Wigan 2-1 at the Liberty Stadium. Pablo Hernandez and Michu fired Swansea into a two-goal lead in the second half and Emmerson Boyce’s reply to salvage a point.
Fulham defender Chris Baird piled on the misery for struggling Aston Villa with an 84th minute strike to give his team a 1-0 victory at Craven Cottage.
Mata fires Chelsea; Rooney sinks Stoke; City rallies
Mata fires Chelsea; Rooney sinks Stoke; City rallies
Man Utd to sack Ten Hag even if they win FA Cup: reports
Van Gaal was fired just two days after United’s FA Cup final victory against Crystal Palace in 2016
LONDON: Manchester United will sack embattled manager Erik ten Hag after the FA Cup final against Manchester City regardless of the result at Wembley, it was reported on Friday.
Britain’s The Guardian newspaper said the Premier League club had decided to take the ruthless step after a dismal season.
If Ten Hag’s two-year reign does end following the City clash, his exit would provoke memories of fellow Dutchman Louis van Gaal’s Old Trafford departure.
Van Gaal was fired just two days after United’s FA Cup final victory against Crystal Palace in 2016.
United finished an embarrassing eighth in the Premier League this season — their lowest final position since 1990 — and crashed out of the Champions League in the group stage.
Ten Hag has been the subject of intense speculation over his future, months after British billionaire Jim Ratcliffe took a minority stake in the club and assumed control of football operations.
United insist no decision has been made on the Dutchman’s future and say a full review will take place after Saturday’s showpiece against the Premier League champions, who are chasing their second straight league and FA Cup double.
The club have been linked with a list of names including Thomas Tuchel, Mauricio Pochettino, England’s Gareth Southgate and Ipswich boss Kieran McKenna, who has previously coached at Old Trafford.
Speaking before the latest report emerged, United goalkeeper Andre Onana said the final was “extra motivation” after an injury-hit season in which many of their star players flopped.
“We lost twice against City already (in the Premier League),” he said. “We know how good they are. Best team at the moment — all of our respect — but we go there to win. A final.”
Onana, who also played under Ten Hag at Ajax, stood up for his manager, describing him as a “good guy, a good coach.”
“Tactically he’s very good and he showed it last season,” said the Cameroon international. “I was not here last season and they got top four.
“This season a lot of things happened. I’m not here to back him. He is big enough to back himself. But he is a really good guy, he is a positive coach and tactically he’s good.
“If he had all his squad it would probably be different. This season is difficult for him, for us, for the club, for the fans.”
Saturday’s match offers United a shot at silverware against their bitter rivals and a route to Europa League qualification.
“It would make things look better,” said Onana, who has had an inconsistent first season at Old Trafford.
“It’s important to end well and winning this game would mean we’re in the Europa League.”
‘Happy I’m not playing Nadal,’ says Medvedev
PARIS: Daniil Medvedev said he was “happy” not to have been drawn to face 14-time champion Rafael Nadal in the French Open first round as the great Spaniard prepares to bid an emotional farewell to the tournament.
Nadal, who has only lost three times in 115 matches at Roland Garros since his title-winning debut in 2005, is playing the French Open for the last time.
In a blockbuster first match, unseeded Nadal will face fourth-ranked Alexander Zverev and world number five Medvedev could not be more delighted.
“I’m not shy to say I’m happy it’s not me playing against him first round,” admitted Medvedev on Friday, a day after practicing with Nadal.
Former world number one and 22-time Grand Slam title winner Nadal, whose ranking has slumped to 276 after featuring in just four tournaments since January last year, will turn 38 on June 3.
However, Medvedev warned Zverev that Nadal is far from a fading force.
“There’s a lot of hard work, a lot of mental effort. Sometimes people forget he has a lot of talent in his hands also,” said the Russian.
“We were warming up serves and then he did three in a row, volley, dropshots, banana ones, with backspin, and it was funny.
“We were saying, ‘Yeah, no talent, just hard work!’“
Nadal holds a 7-3 winning head-to-head record against Zverev with five of those victories coming on clay.
The last time they met was in the 2022 semifinals in Paris when the German was forced to retire after suffering a serious ankle injury.
“It’s tough to play Rafa,” added Medvedev.
“He has the capability to spin the ball not like other players, get these high balls especially on clay, is not easy.
“Then we go to where he fights for every point, he brings intensity to every point. You know you’re going to be tired, you know it’s going to be tough. It’s not easy.”
Barcelona say Xavi will not return as coach next season
- The club said Laporta “has informed Xavi Hernández that he will not be continuing as first team coach in the 2024-25 season”
- His departure comes a month after Xavi had reversed a previous decision made in January to leave the club this summer
BARCELONA: Barcelona say coach Xavi Hernandez is leaving the club at the end of the season.
The Spanish club made the announcement Friday after a meeting between club president Joan Laporta, Xavi and several other senior figures at the team’s training ground.
The club said Laporta “has informed Xavi Hernández that he will not be continuing as first team coach in the 2024-25 season.”
Xavi’s last game in charge will be Sunday’s away game against Sevilla on the final day of the league season.
His departure comes a month after Xavi had reversed a previous decision made in January to leave the club this summer. In April, the 44-year-old Xavi said that he had changed his mind after his players showed him that they believed in the team’s potential and had improved their performances.
But Laporta had reportedly been displeased by Xavi’s recent comments in a news conference that Barcelona’s poor financial situation would make it nearly impossible to compete against Real Madrid and Europe’s other top clubs.
The former midfielder led Barcelona to the Spanish league title last year, but the team are eight points behind already crowned champion Madrid going into the last round.
As a player, Xavi left Barcelona in 2015 after helping the club win 25 titles, including four Champions Leagues and eight Spanish leagues in 17 seasons while forming a formidable trio with Lionel Messi and Andres Iniesta. He was also key to Spain’s streak of titles when they won the 2010 World Cup and European Championships in 2008 and 2012.
Laporta brought Xavi back from his only prior coaching job in Qatar in November 2021 to lead his rebuilding project of a club that had just lost Messi amid a financial crisis.
The following summer the club sold off future television revenues and other club assets, which Laporta dubbed financial “levers,” to sign Robert Lewandowski and other players. Xavi was able to win the club’s first titles since Messi’s departure and the future looked bright.
This season, however, Barcelona lost all three ‘clasico’ matches against Madrid and were thumped twice by upstart Catalan rival Girona, losing both of their league matchups 4-2. They also lost in the quarterfinals of both the Champions League and the Copa del Rey.
Saudi Arabia spending big for a place on the gaming map
- The kingdom has already been spending heavily with a $38-billion push into gaming
TOKYO: Saudi Arabia is moving aggressively with its investments in more gaming companies, the Canadian industry veteran steering the kingdom’s push to become a global hub for the sector told AFP Friday.
The kingdom has already been spending heavily with a $38-billion push into gaming under Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Vision 2030 program, part of a plan to diversify the economy away from oil.
“We don’t pause. We don’t do neutral,” Savvy Games CEO Brian Ward said in a joint interview in Japan with Prince Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud, chair of the Saudi eSports Federation.
“It’s a good time to be in the market, looking for good teams in studios,” said Ward, a former executive at “Call of Duty” maker Activision Blizzard, Electronic Arts and Microsoft.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) has bought stakes in “Resident Evil” maker Capcom and Japanese giant Nintendo, as well as in Activision Blizzard and Electronic Arts.
Savvy, a PIF subsidiary, in 2022 bought a $1.1-billion stake in Sweden’s Embracer in 2022 and bought Scopely, the US mobile games company behind “Monopoly Go!,” for $4.9 billion last year.
“There’s a lot we want to do to get it done and to reach our targets at 2030,” said Prince Faisal, who is also Savvy vice-chairman.
“But we also want to make sure that we are taking the time to study things, to look at things. And make sure we’re making the right steps and not just throwing cash out there to see what hits,” he said.
ESports World Cup
In eSports, Savvy also bought tournament organizer ESL Gaming and the platform FaceIt. Riyadh will also host the eSports World Cup in July and August, when 2,500 gamers will battle for $60 million in prize money.
Prince Faisal, who credits video games for giving him insights into real-life history, said the tournament would help put Saudi Arabia on the global gaming map.
“A gaming industry is something you can start now and you’ll see the results in five to 10 years. And so to start momentum going, to start a conversation, esports is a great entry point,” he said.
Saudi Arabia aims to create 250 gaming companies and studios on its soil, 39,000 game-related jobs, be in the top three of professional gamers per capita and to produce a blockbuster “AAA” game by 2030.
The objective at the same time is for gaming to account for one percent of gross domestic product, something which Prince Faisal admits “keeps me up most at night.”
“One of the amazing things is we have a long history of storytelling in our region. It’s typical Bedouin culture is sitting around a fire telling the story,” he said.
“The tools are there... I think we can come up with not just the next great game, but the next great story.”
Saudi Arabia’s gaming drive
“There’s a lot of misconceptions about Saudi and who we are as Saudis,” Prince Faisal said.
“And the best way that I can say to answer that is to come and see and what you’ll see on the ground is very different than the conception that’s out there.”
Ward said he had been assured that Saudi Arabia’s gaming drive would be “consistent with the values and culture of our industry.”
“We have been given carte blanche to operate like a true games company. We don’t do anything different at Savvy being based in Riyadh than we would if we were in New York, Los Angeles, or Berlin.”
Porsche becomes third manufacturer to commit to Formula E GEN4 until 2030
- Announcement comes ahead of Shanghai E-Prix, marking Formula E’s first return to China in almost 5 years
- Porsche has committed to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship for at least 4 years beyond GEN3
SHANGHAI: Porsche has committed to the ABB FIA Formula E World Championship until at least 2030.
Ahead of the 2024 Shanghai E-Prix, Porsche AG and Porsche Motorsport, alongside Formula E and the FIA, have confirmed the news for seasons 13 to 16.
This decision ensures that the Stuttgart-based manufacturer will be on the grid when the next generation of vehicles, known as GEN4, debuts in the all-electric racing series.
“Like Formula E, we want to add innovative technologies and increased sustainability to motorsport — and be at the cutting edge of new developments,” Thomas Laudenbach, vice president, Porsche Motorsport, said.
“The world championship offers a first-class stage for this: racing at the highest level, public interest worldwide and high technological relevance. The knowledge from racing flows directly into our sports cars: motorsport engineers sit shoulder-to-shoulder with colleagues from road projects. After all, we don’t develop technology for the sake of technology — it has to benefit our customers.”
With features like all-wheel drive that can be activated at certain points in the race, the new generation presents an additional technical challenge for the teams. GEN4 will be introduced in season 13 (2026/2027), providing manufacturers with greater scope for development and offering valuable insights for their series production.
Other technology promised in the GEN4 era will be focused on significant breakthroughs in energy efficiency, race performance, and safety standards. This next-gen platform will introduce features such as regeneration capacity reaching up to 700 kW and a power-output surge up to 600 kW.
The TAG Heuer Porsche Formula E Team boast a legacy few of their rivals can match. Since their entry into Formula E in season six, they have amassed eight victories, 16 podium finishes, and six pole positions — all in just 68 race starts.
“With their unwavering commitment and innovative spirit, we are thrilled to announce that Porsche will continue to be a cornerstone of our championship for at least another four years,” Jeff Dodds, CEO of Formula E, said.
“Their dedication to the highly anticipated GEN4 era not only pushes the boundaries of technology and performance but also sets a new standard for excellence in worldwide motorsport.
“With Porsche’s expertise and high-performance powertrains as one of the world’s most revered automotive manufacturers, this renewed partnership bolsters an exciting future for Formula E, filled with even more groundbreaking achievements and unforgettable racing moments.”
Meanwhile Michael Steiner, executive board member for research and Development at Porsche AG, said: “Right from the outset, we regarded our Formula E commitment as long-term. The evolution of racing vehicles shows how much development potential there is in e-mobility.
“Going forward, we want to glean even more knowledge from Formula E that we can transfer to our road sports cars. As one of the most competitive series in motor racing, it’s already pushing us to achieve technological excellence. We look forward to continuing to shape the championship and contributing to the advancement of e-mobility.”
