18 Wednesday, May 8, 2019 Sports Goal-hero Kompany makes good on promise as Man City go top again

frustration, everyone was say- isn’t the goal, it’s him shoot- City were heading ing ‘don’t shoot, don’t shoot’ ing while believing he was and I could really hear it; I going to score. for a frustrating thought hold on a second, I’ve “He’s a big believer and evening at the not come this far in my career that helped us to win the for young players to tell me if I game,” the former Barcelo- Etihad Stadium can take a shot, and I just had na and Bayern Munich boss a go!” added. until Kompany let The Belgian last hit the The 33-year-old Kompa- fly with a 25-yard target from outside the area ny’s career has been blighted back in 2007 but Kompany in- by injuries, with Guardiola shot into the top sisted: “I’ve scored goals like saying: “He’s not young and that in training! to be consistent is difficult corner 20 minutes “It’s 15 years I’ve been in for him every three days, but from time top-level football, midfielders when we have a game once telling me ‘don’t shoot, play every week, he’s an incred- the ball wide’ and every time ible player.” afp they miss, for 15 years I’ve City will be assured of re- Manchester, United Kingdom been saying ‘I promise you, taining the title if their result one day I’m going to have a away to Brighton is equal Manchester City captain shot from outside the box and or better to what Liverpool Vincent Kompany said he had I’m going to score a goal and achieve against Wolves at An- lived up to a vow to “one day” you’re going to be really happy field on Sunday. score a long-range goal after with that one’.” However, a win for Liver- his wonder strike secured a City manager Pep Guar- pool and anything less for City 1-0 win at home to Leices- diola admitted he too was would see the Reds secure ter that left the champions in among those who didn’t their first English champion- charge of the destiny of the want Kompany to let fly from ship since they last won the Premier League title with a distance. old First Division title in 1990. match to play. “Don’t shoot! Pass the And Kompany warned: City were heading for a ball, pass the ball!,” said “It’s a big goal, we’ve not frustrating evening at the Eti- Guardiola when asked about achieved anything (yet).” had Stadium on Monday until his thoughts as Kompany But Leicester goalkeeper Kompany let fly with a 25- took aim. Kasper Schmeichel, who made yard shot into the top corner “Honestly, I wasn’t too several fine saves on Monday, 20 minutes from time – the Manchester City’s Vincent Kompany celebrates scoring the winner against Leicester City during their EPL match at the Etihad Stadium in Man- confident but football is mad said: “City are a top-class side, centre-back’s first City goal chester on Monday. (reuters) for that. The artists are the and we have lost to the poten- from outside the box. players, they have to decide tial champions. Victory saw City go top by ing into Sunday’s last round of “I hadn’t scored this sea- moments that I’m going to do Sky Sports. things in a fraction of a sec- “I can’t see them losing a point from Liverpool head- league matches. son but I always feel in big something,” Kompany told “Today was a little bit of ond and what’s important their next game.” Ajax ‘confident, fit and eager’ for Spurs match, says coach Ten Hag; Vertonghen to make return

Reuters Vertonghen set to make AMSTERDAM return for Spurs Tottenham Hotspur de- A fully fit Ajax Amsterdam fender Jan Vertonghen could will focus on its attacking return for his side’s Champi- Tiger Woods is awarded the strengths in their Champions ons League semi-final, second Presidential Medal of Freedom League semi-final second leg leg against Ajax Amsterdam by US President Donald Trump at against Tottenham Hotspur on on Wednesday after suffering the White House in Washington Wednesday despite a draw be- a head injury in last week’s on Monday. (REUTERS) ing enough to take them to the 1-0 home leg defeat. final, coach Erik ten Hag said The Belgian former Ajax on Tuesday. player trained on Tuesday Emotional Woods “We need to win this wearing a face mask to pro- match tomorrow, that will be tect his nose, which was in- accepts Medal our mindset”, Ten Hag said a jured in a sickening clash of pre-match press conference. heads with team mate Toby of Freedom at “We have to stick to our own Alderweireld. strengths.” Vertonghen, who at- White House Ajax upset Real tempted to play on last week Reuters and Juventus on their way to before being substituted after Washington the semi final with a fast, at- seemingly struggling to stand tacking style of play, and ini- up, missed his side’s Premier Tiger Woods, who stunned tially dominated Tottenham in League defeat at Bourne- the sports world when he their 1-0 away win last week. mouth on Saturday. won his fifth Masters title last But the Dutch team, which The club said he had not month, received his country’s features several players pol- suffered a concussion. highest civilian honour, the ished in the club’s famed acad- “(Vertonghen) returned Presidential Medal of Free- emy, struggled in the second to training, continues to be dom, from U.S. President half in London as Tottenham monitored and will wear a Donald Trump on Monday. increased the pressure on their Ajax of Amsterdam players attend a training session in Amsterdam on Tuesday, ahead of their UEFA Champions League semi-final. (EPA-EFE) face mask to protect nose,” Last month’s Augusta tri- defence. the club confirmed, adding umph ended an 11-year major “Our minds were a bit too Willem II Tilburg, although Wednesday’s match. Every- “A few people who knew return to Ajax last summer, that fellow defender Davinson title drought for the 43-year- much on defending the lead”, it was not yet clear wheth- one knows what this is about.” this level of success said it after four years at Manchester Sanchez would miss the game old golfer, who had endured Ten Hag said. “But it was also er Brazilian forward David Four-time European would still be possible for a United, would turn out to be so because of a thigh injury. personal and professional a show of strength by Spurs. Neres could start the match. champions Ajax are looking Dutch team to reach the Cham- exciting. Tottenham, who face a setbacks including a highly- It showed we have to cross Ajax’s first domestic cup to reach their first Champi- pions League final; people like “The team has grown tre- daunting task to reach their public divorce and multiple another frontier tomorrow. win since 2010 did not in- ons League final since 1996. Johan Cruijff, Louis van Gaal mendously in many aspects first Champions League -fi surgeries over the previous But we are confident we can terfere with preparations Many pundits have suggested and (Ajax director) Marc Over- this year”, the 29-year old son nal, are also without leading decade. do it. We are fit and we are for Wednesday’s match, the it has become impossible for mars”, Ten Hag said. of former European cup win- striker Harry Kane but Son An emotional Woods eager.” coach said. Dutch teams to compete with “It’s up to us tomorrow to ner and Ajax captain Danny Heung-min, suspended for thanked those in attendance at Ten Hag said his team had “The players were happy, their much wealthier English, prove them right.” Blind said. the first leg, will be back to of- the Rose Garden ceremony at no injuries following Sun- but you could see they imme- Spanish and Italian peers, Ajax defender Daley Blind “This really is a team effort, fer manager Mauricio Pochet- the White House for their sup- day’s Cup Final win against diately turned their focus to but Ten Hag is ignoring them. said he had never expected his and I am proud to be part of it.” tino some firepower. port through the years when he was not winning. “You’ve seen the good and the bad, the highs and the lows, and I would not be in this posi- Clubs demand say over proposed tion without all of your help,” Tearful Godin confirms Atletico exit he said after Trump placed the Champions League reform medal around his neck. afp days at Atletico Madrid. I want “In ‘97, yes, I won the Mas- afp Switzerland. Madrid to communicate all the love I ters and I ended up hugging Madrid Change to European club have for this club, this shirt. my dad and my mom,” he said. competitions has become a Atletico Madrid captain “I am Atletico, because this “My dad is no longer here European clubs demanded controversial issue after An- Diego Godin announced on is not a club, it’s a family and a but my mom is here, I love you on Tuesday that UEFA “prop- drea Agnelli, the president of Tuesday that he will leave the way of life. It has been my home mom,” he added. erly include” them in any plans the European Club Association club at the end of the season. and it’s very hard to say good- “The amazing Masters ex- to change the Champions (ECA), which represents Eu- Godin has been one of the bye. I never imagined this mo- perience I just had a few weeks League, which could include rope’s top teams, outlined pro- best central defenders in the ment would come and I am not ago certainly is part of the guaranteeing qualification for posals for a new ‘super-league’ world under Atletico coach prepared.” highlight of what I’ve accom- elite teams. that guarantees qualification , who attended Godin has made 381 ap- plished in my life on the golf president Javier for certain clubs and features an emotional press conference pearances for Atletico and re- course.” Tebas, who was among more European fixtures at weekends. at the Wanda Metropolitano, mains a key figure in the team, Atletico Madrid’s Diego Godin during a press conference announcing Trump, an avid golfer, de- than 300 representatives that But, following the four- along with several players and but the Uruguayan has rejected his departure from the club at the Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid on scribed the 15-times major attended a meeting in Madrid. hour meeting on Tuesday, president Enrique Cerezo. offers to extend his contract, Tuesday. (REUTERS) champion as a “a global sym- The event brought together Tebas said in a press confer- The 33-year-old would not which expires on June 30. He bol of American excellence, 244 clubs from 38 countries, ence: “It is not possible to make confirm his next club but indi- is unlikely to be the last high- Munich, while uncertainty the team and have been here devotion and drive”. with the aim to establish com- reforms without the agreement cated regret at not being able to profile player to leave Atletico hangs over the futures of Filipe many years,” said Godin. “We Woods joined Arnold mon ground ahead of a meet- of the leagues. I don’t know agree a new contract. this summer. Luis, Juanfran, Thomas Partey, have not reached an agreement Palmer, Charlie Sifford and ing on Wednesday between the how is it possible to change an- “I’m nervous, even more After a disappointing sea- Saul Niguez and even Antoine to continue so my time here is Jack Nicklaus as the only golf- European Leagues and UEFA’s ything without the agreement than for a match,” said a tearful son, Lucas Hernandez has al- Griezmann. over. It has been the best of my ers to have received the award. executive committee in Nyon, of the national competitions.” Godin. “These will be my final ready agreed to join Bayern “In short, I am captain of career and my life.”