City Hold Off Villa to Retain League Cup
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Established 1961 Sport MONDAY, MARCH 2, 2020 Barker bags first world track S Africa, England power Everton hold United after 25cycling gold for Britain 26 into T20 WCup s-finals 27 late goal ruled out by VAR City hold off Villa to retain League Cup LONDON: Manchester City captain David Silva lifts the trophy as his teammates celebrate their win after the English League Cup final football match between Aston Villa and Manchester City at Wembley stadium in London yesterday. Manchester City won the game 2-1. — AFP LONDON: Manchester City claimed the League Cup Guardiola’s raft of changes also handed a rare start next 10 minutes as the holders threatened to run riot in between the supports was obvious as Villa were roared for the fourth time in five seasons by beating Aston Villa to Phil Foden and the 19-year-old more than justified a repeat of the 6-1 thrashing they handed the hosts at on vociferously throughout, while City failed to sell out 2-1 at Wembley yesterday thanks to goals from Sergio his selection. Rodrigo’s fine pass picked out Foden to Villa Park last month. their allocation. That did not compensate for the differ- Aguero and Rodrigo. Mbwana Samatta pulled a goal head back into the path of Aguero and the Argentine’s Sterling had a glorious chance for his first goal of ence in quality on the field as City quickly settled back back for Villa, but their wait for the club’s first silver- deflected effort beat Orjan Nyland in the Villa goal to 2020 deflected behind by a brave block from Tyrone into their rhythm and could then introduce De Bruyne ware since 1996 goes on as Pep Guardiola’s men have open the scoring on 20 minutes. Mings. But moments later the reason Mings is ahead of for the final half hour. now won six of the last seven major trophies in English Foden was then inches away from a goal himself with John Stones in the pecking order for England selection However, City failed to turn their dominance into football. a deflected shot that flew inches wide. Villa felt became clear as the City defender inexplicably fell to more goals as Rodrigo was denied by a fine save by Guardiola made eight changes from the side that aggrieved when City were awarded another corner the floor to give Villa a lifeline. Nyland from another corner before Aguero then fired won 2-1 at Real Madrid in the Champions League on moments later after Jack Grealish fired the ball off Ilkay A long ball forward eventually came to Anwar El into the side-netting to give Villa hope for the last 10 Wednesday with Kevin De Bruyne among those left on Gundogan for what should have been a goal kick. Ghazi and from his cross Samatta headed low past minutes. And they were very nearly punished as the the bench. However, it mattered little as City had the Instead, City doubled their lead as Gundogan’s cor- Claudio Bravo to the delight of the travelling thousands often-criticised Bravo had to make a brilliant save three luxury of recalling Aguero, Raheem Sterling and David ner was met with a powerful downward header from from Birmingham and Villa fan Prince William in the minutes from time to turn Bjorn Engels’ header onto the Silva to the starting XI, and the gulf in class showed. Rodrigo. Villa could barely even get a touch for the stands. The difference in the desperation for success post and maintain City’s grip on the competition. —AFP out of their stride. It was a bitter blow for Jimenez rocks injury-hit Tottenham, who suffered three consecutive defeats in all competitions for Bekele breaks the first time this season. Spurs as Wolves Heading into this weekend, Spurs had kept just three clean-sheets in 22 games in Farah’s record all competitions since Mourinho took boost Euro bid charge. So Mourinho dropped defenders Toby Alderweireld and Jan Vertonghen as LONDON: Ethiopia’s Kenenisa Bekele broke Mo LONDON: Raul Jimenez boosted Wolves’ part of four changes following last week’s Farah’s course record as he won the London half- bid to qualify for the Champions League as defeat at Chelsea, with keeper Hugo Lloris marathon yesterday in a time of one hour and 22 his late winner capped the visitors’ dra- sidelined by a groin injury. seconds. matic fightback in their 3-2 victory at Those switches included midfielder Eric Bekele took 1min 18sec off the record set in Tottenham yesterday. Nuno Espirito Dier dropping back to centre-half and 2019 by British distance great Farah, who missed Santo’s side trailed twice in north London, exploited Mourinho’s reshuffle time and this year’s edition with an achilles injury. but hit back from 2-1 down thanks to sec- again. Tottenham had their chances and Britain’s Christopher Thompson finished second, ond half goals from Diogo Jota and took the lead with a superb counter in the with Jake Smith third. Jimenez. Wolves moved two points above 13th minute. Giovani Lo Celso picked out Yesterday’s event served as a warm-up event Tottenham into sixth place in the Premier Aurier’s run down the right and when the for the full London Marathon on April 26. That race League. As it stands, finishing fifth could right-back’s cross reached Dele Alli, his LONDON: Tottenham Hotspur’s French midfielder Tanguy Ndombele (L0) vies with is set to see Bekele go up against Eliud Kipchoge, lead to a Champions League place, owing shot was pushed out by Rui Patricio into Wolverhampton Wanderers’ Portuguese midfielder Ruben Neves (C) during the English the reigning Olympic champion from Kenya, as the to second placed Manchester City’s the path of Bergwijn, who slotted home Premier League football match between Tottenham Hotspur and Wolverhampton two fastest marathon runners of all time meet in the European ban, against which they are from close-range. It was the Dutch Wanderers at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London, yesterday. — AFP British capital. appealing. winger’s second goal since joining “The new course record is a great bonus. I was- Sitting level on points with fifth placed Tottenham from PSV Eindhoven in January. n’t focused on time today, I just wanted to win,” Manchester United and just three behind But the hosts remained creaky at the of Harry Kane, Moussa Sissoko and Son victory as a manager over Mourinho at the Heung-min, but Tottenham were potent third attempt, Nuno was back on level terms Bekele, three times an Olympic gold medallist on fourth placed Chelsea, Wolves are firmly in back and Nuno’s men crafted an impres- the track, told the BBC. sive equaliser in the 27th minute. Dier and enough despite those absences and Aurier in the 57th minute. Adama Traore bullied his the hunt for an unexpected berth in “I’m on schedule in my preparation for the Europe’s elite club competition Japhet Tanganga both made a hash of put them back in front in first half stoppage- way past Tanganga and found Jimenez, who London Marathon in April. “There’s no question They fell behind to Steven Bergwijn’s attempting to clear and Doherty made time. Nuno sat on the Porto bench as slipped a pass to the over-lapping Doherty. first half opener, but Matt Doherty them pay as the defender fired past Paulo reserve keeper when Mourinho guided the Doherty’s low cross reached Jota and he about the crowds in London being great. They equalised and even Serge Aurier restoring Gazzaniga for his seventh goal of the sea- Portuguese club to Champions League glo- tapped in his sixth goal in three games from were cheering all around the course and it felt like Tottenham’s lead couldn’t knock Wolves son. Their hopes have been hit by the loss ry in 2004. And, trying to record his first virtually on the line. — AFP a great place to be.” — AFP.