ARAB TIMES, FRIDAY-SATURDAY, AUGUST 27-28, 2021 SPORTS 15 Arsenal blank West Brom in League Cup Southampton register biggest away win in club’s history

LONDON, Aug 26, (AP): Once Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang started scoring there was Odegaard (Norway) and Granit Xhaka (Switzerland), West Brom changed the entire side from its last Championship no stopping Arsenal. game, handing out fi ve debuts with an average age of under 23. The striker netted a hat trick in a 6-0 win over West Bromwich Albion in the second round of the League Cup. Aubameyang was infected with the coronavirus on the eve of the new campaign, missing the loss at Brentford and Mikel Arteta now just needs his Arsenal players to perform as impressively in the Premier League, rather than just coming off the bench in the defeat by Chelsea on Sunday. against a second-tier side. He will not have scored many easier goals than the fi rst-half double that set Arsenal on its way to a third-round meet- “This is good to build the confi dence of the team,” Aubameyang said. “We know we had a tough start to the season.” ing with third-tier side AFC Wimbledon. The heat is on Arteta with Arsenal losing its opening two Premier League matches and traveling to champion Man- Bukayo Saka’s smart feet saw him evade a number of challenges before his low shot was pushed out into the feet chester City on Saturday. Arsenal hadn’t even scored this season until the trip to West Brom. While the Arsenal start- of Aubameyang, who tucked home from close-range for Arsenal’s fi rst goal of the campaign in the 17th minute. Au- ing lineup boasted 348 senior international appearances and three national captains in Aubameyang (Gabon), Martin bameyang tapped in a second after Nicolas Pepe hit the post. He turned provider before halftime, with his acrobatic shot falling to Pepe who slid in to fi nish. Pepi shines Saka scored fi ve minutes into the second half after a fi ne fl ick from Odegaard. Aubameyang curled in MLS pip Liga MX to claim his hat trick and Alexandre Lacazette tucked home at the front on ‘penalty’ kicks post as Pepe claimed another assist. It wasn’t the biggest win of the LOS ANGELES, Aug. 26, (AP): Ri- cardo Pepi grew up straddling the night as Southampton beat fourth- ever-dwindling divide between Mexi- tier side Newport 8-0 to register the can and American soccer. The Texas biggest away win in the club’s his- native who mostly watched Mexi- tory. can teams as a kid is now a fi rst-time Mohamed Elyounoussi had a MLS All-Star for FC Dallas, and both hat trick and Armando Broja net- national teams have been chasing the ted twice, while Nathan Tella, Kyle 18-year-old prodigy’s commitment. Pepi essentially confi rmed he has decided to play with his fellow Ameri- SOCCER cans - and he did it right after striking the decisive blow for his domestic league in the latest chapter of its grow- Walker-Peters and Nathan Redmond ing, friendly rivalry with Liga MX. also netted to secure a meeting in the New England goalkeeper Matt third round with Sheffi eld United. Turner made two penalty kick saves, An all-Premier League encounter and Pepi converted the fi nal chance to at St. James’ Park ended 0-0 before lift the MLS team past a collection of Burnley beat Newcastle 4-3 in a pen- stars from Mexico’s top league in the alty shootout. Miguel Almiron saw MLS All-Star Game. The MLS team won the shootout 3-2 his penalty saved by Burnley keeper after fi nishing regulation tied 1-1. Wayne Hennessey and Charlie Tay- Pepi is expected to announce Thurs- lor stepped up to send Sean Dyche’s day he has chosen to represent the U.S. side through to host fourth-tier side internationally when he is selected for Rochdale. the upcoming World Cup qualifi ers. The draw for the third round, when His penalty kick off the underside of teams in European competitions en- the crossbar was a symbolic way to ter, was made on Wednesday night. end an entertaining, friendly evening Manchester City’s defense will start for the All-Star teams representing the at home to third-tier side Wycombe. continent’s two biggest leagues. In matchups between Premier “To get called up to the national League teams, Manchester United team and then get the win for MLS, it will play West Ham, Tottenham feels great,” Pepi said. “You guys can takes on Wolverhampton, Chelsea see the MLS is getting better and more Atlanta United defender Miles Robinson, (right), heads the ball against Liga MX All-Stars defender Victor Guzman during the second half of the the MLS faces Aston Villa and Liverpool competitive.” All-Star soccer match, on Aug. 25, in Los Angeles. (AP) goes to Norwich. The fi rst matchup of these leagues’ top players in MLS’ midseason show- case was the latest step in the increas- ingly close ties between the U.S./ Choupo-Moting scores four goals Kane no longer an option Canadian league and Mexico’s top division. The teams put on a memora- Bayern romp to 12-0 win over Bremer SV Guardiola moves closer to SOCCER BREMEN, Germany, Aug 26, team of midfi elders at City (AP): Bayern Munich’s reserves ble evening at Los Angeles FC’s sold- out Banc of California Stadium in the routed fi fth-tier side Bremer SV LONDON, Aug 26, (AP): Pep ance to his name as a late substitute, as heart of a cosmopolitan American city 12-0 in their rescheduled German Guardiola would be the first to accept the only player in City’s squad who with a vibrant Mexican fl avor. Liga Cup game Wednesday to ease into he has an obsession with midfielders. could be termed an out-and-out striker. MX MVP Jonathan Rodríguez scored the second round. “I’d like,” he once said while coach- And don’t expect him to feature too in the 20th minute of regular time, and The match was supposed to ing at Bayern Munich, “to have a much this season, either. Jesús Murillo evened it on a header off have been played on Aug. 6 but it thousand midfield players in my Does that leave City too light up a cross from LAFC teammate Eduard squad.” front at a time when Chelsea, perhaps was postponed due to a number of Manchester City is doing its best to the biggest threat for the title this sea- Atuesta early in the second half. coronavirus infections among the The penalty shootout was a thriller: facilitate Guardiola’s dream. son, has just spent $135 million on a Bremen-based team’s players. Harry Kane’s announcement world-class striker in Romelu Lukaku? Turner won the game’s MVP award by Bremer SV coach Benjamin Eta stopping shots by Rogelio Funes Mori Wednesday that he was staying at Guardiola clearly wanted to sign and Salvador Reyes, and Pepi fi nished had called it a “game for the ages” Tottenham - for now, anyway - brought Kane - he said as much in a news con- it with style. and said that his personal wish was an end to City’s months-long pursuit ference - and might be miffed that “I think (this All-Star format) would to see counterpart Julian Nagels- of the England striker that had slowed City’s board didn’t do more to bring be great for both leagues,” Turner said. mann “jumping up because he’s to a crawl in recent days. him to Etihad Stadium. According to “You saw the competition was really unhappy.” With less than a week before the widespread reports, City didn’t go fur- spirited and high intensity. The fans summer transfer window closes on ther than an initial bid of 100 million were into it. It should be the norm, but Aug. 31, City is running out of time to pounds ($139 it’s not my call. I had a ton of fun this SOCCER find a new striker to replace the million) that was week. People really wanted to win, and departed Sergio Aguero in its squad rejected out of we don’t always get that in All-Star for the season. hand by games here.” With Kane no longer an option, Tottenham chair- MLS and Liga MX already hold two Nagelsmann had very little Guardiola may prefer to not push for man Daniel Levy, team cup competitions with hopes for jumping to do, however, as his regarded as one even more interleague play, and both heavily rotated team took a 5-0 of the toughest leagues agree a full merger is a real lead by halftime, with Eric-Maxim SOCCER negotiators in possibility in the coming years. Choupo-Moting scoring a hat trick. soccer. These All-Star teams’ demograph- The Bayern coach had left Rob- It raises the ics refl ect both leagues’ growth and in- ert Lewandowski, one - although there is increasing spec- question if there ternational appeal. The MLS All-Stars ulation about a move for Cristiano Guardiola ever was a serious and in Munich, Ronaldo, who is reportedly unsettled desire among were born in 13 different countries, while , Al- while only 12 of Liga MX’s 27 All- at Juventus - and bid for the biggest City’s Abu Dhabi ownership to spend phonso Davies and Cologne’s Kinglsey Ehizibue, (top), and Bayern’s vie for trophies with a team of midfielders Stars were born in Mexico. the ball during the German soccer match between Bayern Mu- big again after breaking the British MLS was once well behind Liga all were on the bench. Kingsley nich and Cologne in Munich, Germany, on Aug. 22. (AP) this season. After all, Guardiola has record to sign midfielder Jack Grealish MX in quality of play, but players from Coman and Lukas Hernández previously done that. for $139 million in early August. hadn’t recovered from their inju- Just last season, City’s march to the Surely signing Kane, rather than both leagues agree the gap has closed his second. effort that went in off the post in signifi cantly in the past few years. ries, so Omar Richards made his Premier League title and a first Grealish, should have been the priority These All-Star teams appeared to be Bayern debut at left back. He completed his hat trick a few the 65th. He winked as he was con- Champions League final, where given the gap in the squad following quite well-matched as they played to a Choupo-Moting fi red in off the minutes later. gratulated by teammates. Guardiola’s team lost to Chelsea, was Aguero’s departure. draw in regulation. underside of the crossbar to open Nagelsmann made three changes The home side went down to 10 achieved primarily without a striker in “Absolutely - more than happy,” “The thing I learned out there is we at the break but there was no res- men in the 77th when Udo Nobile its first-choice lineup. Aguero regu- Guardiola said last week about the shape the scoring in the eighth minute larly had injury issues and Jesus of his squad. “It’s the same team, except are up there with Liga MX,” Philadel- and made it 2-0 pite for the home team. was sent off for hauling back the phia Union goalkeeper Andre Blake wasn’t fully trusted in the big games, for Jack Grealish and Sergio Aguero, in the 16th. Musiala would have Substitute Malik Tillman scored 19-year-old Tillmann. Nobile was notably in the knockout stage of the that we had last season.” said. Early in the fi rst half, the game shortly after the restart on his sen- applauded off by the home fans. was paused after fans participated in had a second goal in the 27th Champions League. If anyone can make this work, it is the infamous homophobic chant that but Bremer defender Jan-Luca ior debut for Bayern, then Musiala Michael Cuisance, Choupo- For the first two matches of City’s Guardiola. His desire for control in remains irresistible to some Mexican Warm’s attempted clearance re- fi red in another. Leroy Sané - who Moting, Bouna Sarr and Corentin Premier League title defense, matches means he puts more emphasis fans despite FIFA sanctions against sulted in an own goal, seconds was whistled by the Bayern fans in Tolisso all scored in the fi nal min- Guardiola has started with Ferran on midfielders than any of his peers. their national team because of it. before Choupo-Moting scored his previous game - scored with an utes. Torres - naturally a winger - as a center In some matches last season, seven forward and declared Gabriel Jesus to of City’s 10 outfield players were nat- be more at home as a wide player, with ural midfielders, given that the player the Brazil international having who finished the campaign as the first- PSG fans hoping for 1st glimpse of Messi; Mbappe could leave excelled on the right wing in a 5-0 choice left back - Oleksandr Zinchenko PARIS, Aug. 26, (AP): Paris Saint-Germain fans zema, his France teammate at the recent European thrashing of Norwich on Saturday. - plays in midfield for Ukraine and has may never get to see the strike force they have been Championship. Benzema is Madrid’s undisputed It leaves Liam Delap, an 18-year- only been converted to a full back by dreaming of for the past couple of weeks. leader in attack, fi fth all-time on the club’s scoring old with one Premier League appear- Guardiola. While six-time Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi is list with 281, but the 33-year-old’s new contract only set for his eagerly awaited debut in Sunday’s French takes him until 2023. league game at Reims, reuniting with his former Bar- After that, the future could belong to Mbappe. celona teammate Neymar, the Champagne has been Whereas at PSG, Mbappe would share the limelight diluted with news that Kylian Mbappe could join with Neymar and Messi, who signed a two-year deal Real Madrid. with an option for a third. Mbappe’s boyhood dream was to play for the Still, the absence of Mbappe would do little to Spanish giant, and it might be coming true. dampen the enthusiasm of the 20,000 fans at Stade Auguste-Delaune waiting for a glimpse of the global icon Messi, who counts four champions League titles SOCCER among his 35 trophies at Barcelona. Messi’s staggering tally of 672 goals for Barca includes an extraordinary 50-goal season in 2012; The 13-time European Cup winner’s fi rst bid of 96 league goals and a remarkable 133 overall across 160 million euros ($188 million), which came on 2012 and 2013; eight Spanish league and six Cham- Tuesday night, was rejected. pions League scoring titles. PSG paid 180 million euros ($212 million) to sign Messi once netted a record 91 goals in a calendar Mbappe from Monaco four years ago and wants more PSG’s Kylian Mbappe runs with the ball during a year for club and country. He also led Argentina to than Madrid’s initial bid. But the club also knows French League One soccer match between Brest the 2021 Copa America title. France’s 2018 World Cup-winning star can leave for and PSG at the Francis-Le Ble stadium in Brest, France, on Aug. 20. (AP) News of Messi’s arrival at PSG earlier this month free when his contract runs out in June. prompted a surge in ticket sales and media interest. “Kylian Mbappé wants to leave, that seems clear When David Beckham made one of his fi rst ap- to me,” PSG’s sporting director Leonardo said this time Spanish champion Madrid would want Mbappe pearances for PSG alongside Zlatan Ibrahimovic in week in an interview with French broadcaster RMC. playing against Reims in case he gets injured. March 2013, there were 113 accredited media. By “If he wants to leave, we aren’t going to keep him, And so the MNM - Mbappe-Neymar-Messi - may Monday, more than 120 had accredited for Sunday’s Tottenham’s Harry Kane has a shot on goal during the English Premier but it’s under our conditions.” never take the fi eld together. game, with demands still coming in, according to the League soccer match between Wolverhampton Wanderers and Tottenham If the transfer does happen, it’s unlikely PSG or 34- Instead, Mbappe could line up with Karim Ben- French union for sports journalists (UJSF). Hotspur at Molineux stadium in Wolverhampton, England, on Aug. 22. (AP)